Procurement Operations Specialist-Italy

Procurement Operations Specialist – EF World Journeys- ItalyProduct
At EF World Journeys, we believe that the best way to learn about the world is to experience it, and we strive to help as many people as possible share that experience. EF Go Ahead Tours and EF Ultimate Break are divisions of EF World Journeys and we make world travel easy. We want to empower travelers of all ages to get out there and experience something new on our guided tours. If you share this passion for opening the world, come work with us!As a Procurement Operations Specialist, you work within the Procurement Team and are responsible for all day-to-day operations related to Hotels and Hostels, from 30 days before a tour arrives, until post-tour. You will be working closely with the Procurement Specialist, who is responsible for negotiating contracts, managing relationships with suppliers, and managing budgets. Once a hotel contract is negotiated and booked, the hotel/hostel relationship will be handed over to you, and you are responsible for working closely with the property to ensure our groups have a smooth customer experience. You are also the first point of contact for our Tour Directors (guides) with any property-related questions they may have.
Core responsibilities

• Market expertise: Further foster your existing strong Italianmarket knowledge and expertise through constant networking and research, competition awareness, and industry insights
• Supplier relationship management: Maintain a positive and constructive relationship with existing and potential suppliers in the Italianmarket, in keeping with cross-product sourcing strategy. Provide all documentation to hotels related to the upcoming bookings. Train suppliers on our systems to ensure smooth processes.
• Tour Director Relationships: Work closely with our EF Tour Directors to answer pending questions around properties related to their upcoming tours and whilst on tour.
• Emergency Response: Help problem solving around emergency cases on tour related to hotels. Work closely with our Safety and Incident Response team to ensure effective case management.
• Invoice Management: Act as the main point of contact with our Accounts Payable team for invoice payments to suppliers. Working closely with the team to ensure our supplier relationships are maintained and suppliers are paid on time.
• Customer Experience: Work to balance cost and quality and achieve cross-product requirements
• Administrative: Ensure all systems are managed and that all safety and cost guidelines are adhered to up until 30 days before departure (DPD). Ensure smooth handover with Procurement Specialist who is responsible for relationship before 30 DPD.

Key attributes

• Networked: You are an influential communicator who cultivates relationships and builds upon your existing networks in the Italian Market with both internal and external stakeholders. You have got a finger on the pulse of competition, industry trends, and changes in the market.
• Strategic: You are forward-thinking, analytical, and responsible. You are cost-conscious, efficient, and capable of executing the vision of multiple products.
• Effective: You have a sense of responsibility and manage your time well. You are comfortable working in the details, particularly with numbers and legal jargon.
• Negotiation skills: You can leverage your network and use the tools at your disposal to strike a deal and execute your overall strategy.
• Willingness to travel: You are prepared to spend some time on the road (3-4 times per year) learning your market and cultivating relationships.
• Language skills: Full fluency in Italian and fluent in English

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Experience in travel, tourism, educational travel, or online travel agency industry is preferred
• Strong interest in the tourism industry
• Passion for travel

Why you will love working with us People at EF make things happen. We encourage you to take full ownership of your work, regardless of your level or experience. EF team members often say we operate like the world’s largest startup because this boundless entrepreneurial spirit is built into our organization’s DNA. EF offers a wide range of benefits ready for our team members to enjoy during weekends, after work and with friends & family, including:  

• Discounted passes to local destinations and tourist hot-spots such as mt. Rigi or Kunsthaus Zurich.
• Full reimbursement of the SBB ‘halb-tax’ travel card, covering country-wide public transportation.
• Free membership for our newly built gym or get involved with our variety of sports teams.
• Seasonal and monthly office events including holiday parties, ski trips and pay-day happy hours.
• Discounts on a wide range of local restaurants, shops, hotel stays and EF products.
• 15% off in-house childcare service  

EF World Journeys is a subsidiary of EF Education FirstAbout EF Education FirstAt EF we believe that the world is better when people try to understand one another. Since 1965, we have helped millions of people see new places, experience new cultures, and learn new things about the world and about themselves. Our culturally immersive education programs—focused on language, travel, cultural exchange, and academics—turn dreams into international opportunities.When you join EF, you join a multicultural and diverse community working across 600 schools and offices in 50 countries, all with one shared mission of opening the world through education. Whoever you are, whatever you are passionate about—we welcome you and want you to bring that to work every day. EF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to inclusion and belonging across race, ethnicity, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, ability, parental status, experience and everything else that makes you unique.Founded in Sweden in 1965, EF has schools and offices around the world, including hubs in Boston, London, Mexico City, São Paulo, Shanghai, Stockholm, Zürich, and more. Learn more at https://ef.com#LI-AN1