Senior Sourcing Specialist

Pay Range:

$93,600.00 - $140,400.00

Please email HR_Talent_AcquisitionTeam@bcbsri.org if you are a candidate seeking a reasonable accommodation for the application and/or interview process.

At BCBSRI, our greatest resource is our people.

We come from varying backgrounds, different cultures, and unique experiences. We are hard-working, caring, and creative individuals who collaborate, support one another, and grow together. Passion, empathy, and understanding are at the forefront of everything we do—not just for our members, but for our employees as well.

We recognize that to do your best work, you have to be your best self.
It’s why we offer flexible work arrangements that include remote and hybrid opportunities and paid time off. We provide tuition reimbursement and assist with student-loan repayment. We offer health, dental, and vision insurance as well as programs that support your mental health and well-being. We pay competitively, offer bonuses and investment plans, and are committed to growing and developing our employees.

Our culture is one of belonging.
We strive to be transparent and accountable. We believe in equipping our associates with the knowledge and resources they need to be successful. No matter where you’re at in the organization, you’re an integral part of our team and your input, thoughts, and ideas are valued.

Join others who value a workplace for all.
We appreciate and celebrate everything that makes us unique, from personal characteristics to past experiences. Our different perspectives strengthen us as an organization and help us better serve all Rhode Islanders.

We’re dedicated to serving Rhode Islanders.
Our focus extends beyond providing access to high-quality, affordable, and equitable care. To further improve the health and well-being of our fellow Rhode Islanders, we regularly roll up our sleeves and get to work (literally) in communities all across the state—building homes, working in food pantries, revitalizing community centers, and transforming outdoor spaces for children and adults. Because we believe it is our collective responsibility to uplift our fellow Rhode Islanders when and where we can, our associates receive additional paid time to volunteer.

Why this job matters:

The Senior Strategic Sourcing Specialist is responsible for leading complex, end‑to‑end sourcing initiatives that support enterprise strategy, operational excellence, and measurable business outcomes. This role partners closely with cross‑functional stakeholders to design and execute data‑driven sourcing strategies, manage competitive procurement events, negotiate and implement contracts, and ensure compliance with governance, legal, and vendor management standards. The position plays a key role in driving departmental performance through savings, cycle time efficiency, supplier engagement and innovation, while continuously improving sourcing processes, data quality, and reporting.

What you will do:

• Strategic Sourcing Leadership : Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to develop and execute strategic sourcing strategies using best-practice tools, standard processes, and analytics to deliver enterprise-wide results.
• End-to-End Sourcing Execution : Lead the full lifecycle strategic sourcing process for assigned commodities, including requirements intake, market analysis, benchmarking, supplier identification, sourcing strategy development, and recommendation of the optimal procurement approach (e.g., RFI, RFP, RFQ, reverse eAuction).
• RFx Design and Competitive Events : Guide business stakeholders in defining complex RFx requirements and translate them into well-structured sourcing events. Develop and issue RFx documents, manage the event timeline, and ensure adherence to established sourcing standards and governance.
• Supplier Evaluation, Insights, and Decision Support : Analyze supplier responses, develop evaluation models and scorecards, and synthesize findings into clear, actionable recommendations. Facilitate stakeholder discussions to align on selection decisions and business outcomes.
• Negotiation and Contracting Support : Lead and/or support complex supplier negotiations and partner with Legal and business stakeholders to coordinate execution of contracts, statements of work, change orders, addenda, and other required documents. Support contract implementation in collaboration with internal stakeholders.
• Cross-Functional Governance and Risk Alignment : Partner with key stakeholders (e.g., Legal, IT, Information Security, AI Governance, Data & Privacy, Finance) to ensure sourcing and contracting decisions align with enterprise strategy, governance requirements, risk mitigation needs, and business priorities.
• Performance, Metrics, and Continuous Improvement: Drive achievement of departmental KPIs, including savings, supplier engagement and innovation objectives, sourcing cycle time, contract metrics, process adherence, and data quality. Support accurate reporting and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Vendor & Stakeholder Relationship Management : Maintain effective relationships with existing and prospective vendors and internal stakeholders by coordinating vendor meetings and presentations, responding to inquiries throughout the sourcing and requisition lifecycle, and ensuring consistent communication and issue resolution.
• Participate in department initiatives and projects.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What you need to succeed:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five (5) or more years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, and/or vendor management
• Strong negotiation skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong time management skills
• Knowledge of key vendor performance metrics
• Proven track record implementing complex supply chain deals
• Ability to influence and lead strategic supply chain and business change
• Ability to interpret and apply contract language
• Strategic and critical thinking skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong business acumen and political savvy
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people in individual and group settings
• Strong organizing skills, with the ability to prioritize and respond to shifting deadlines
• Ability to manage diverse and deadline-oriented workflow

The extras:

• Strategic sourcing and vendor management experience within a health insurer or similar healthcare organization
• Proven ability to partner with stakeholders to define complex RFx (RFI, RFP, RFQ) requirements and translate them into robust, competitive sourcing events that drive effective and efficient business solutions
• Demonstrated success developing and executing sourcing strategies in complex, multi-category healthcare environments; particularly within information technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare analytics, care management, or payment integrity
• Expertise in contract negotiation, with strong knowledge of contract structure and language and a track record of securing favorable terms and mitigating risk
Five (5) or more years of relevant experience with a Fortune 500 organization and/or management consulting firm

Location:
BCBSRI is headquartered in downtown Providence, conveniently located near the train station and bus terminal. We actively support associate well-being and work/life balance and offer the following schedules, based on role:

• In-office : onsite 5 days per week
• Hybrid: onsite 2-4 days per week
• Remote: onsite 0-1 days per week. Permitted to reside in the following states, pending approval from the Human Resources Department: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia
  
  

Our culture of belonging at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) is at the core of all we do, and it strengthens our ability to meet the challenges of today’s healthcare industry. BCBSRI is an equal opportunity employer.

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