Procurement Manager –Competitions, Camps, Corporate (West Region)

About the role

The Procurement Manager at Varsity Spirit, a division of Varsity Brands, plays a crucial role in overseeing the strategic sourcing and procurement of event venues for the organization. This role requires a deep understanding of the events industry, venue trends, and best practices, with a focus on sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive venue sourcing strategy that optimizes costs while maintaining the quality and suitability of event locations.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with venue vendors, negotiating favorable terms, and securing the best possible rates and contracts.
• Lead by example, providing guidance, training, and support to ensure the delivery of high-quality results.
• Work closely with finance and event planning teams to develop budgets and cost estimates for venue procurement, ensuring cost-effectiveness and adherence to financial guidelines.
• Conduct market research to identify potential venues that align with event requirements. Evaluate and compare venue options, considering capacity, location, amenities, and accessibility.
• Draft and review contracts with venues, including terms, conditions, cancellation policies, and liability agreements. Ensure all contracts comply with legal and organizational standards.
• Analyze potential risks associated with selected venues and implement risk mitigation strategies to safeguard event success.
• Serve on regional leadership teams to collaborate with event operations and management teams to understand event objectives, audience needs, and event logistics to ensure venues meet all necessary requirements.
• Advocate for sustainable venue practices and work towards integrating eco-friendly options in venue selection.
• Measure and track the performance of venue procurement initiatives, identifying areas for improvement and implementing strategies to enhance efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Qualifications

• Strong negotiation and contract management skills.
• Excellent organizational and project management abilities, with the capacity to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• High level of customer service acumen.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• In-depth knowledge of the events industry, venue trends, and best practices.
• Familiarity with sustainability practices and their application in event venues is advantageous.
• Results-oriented and able to work independently to meet deadlines and handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.

Education/Experience

• Bachelor's degree in business, hospitality management, or related field (a plus).
• Proven experience in venue procurement, sourcing, or event planning, with a minimum of 5 years in a similar role.
• Experience in the cheerleading/dance space is a plus.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit or stand for long periods through meetings and while operating office equipment, PC’s, laptop, telephone will be required.
• During events, the ability to stand and walk for long periods of time (5 hours plus) is required.
• The ability to communicate with customers and colleagues using the following but not limited to radio, walkie talkie, text message and email is required.
• The ability to lift, bend, push, pull and manipulate equipment that is a minimum of 30lbs is required.