Contracts & Purchasing Specialist
Adventure Travel Trade Association, Cedar City, UT, United States
Contract & Purchasing Specialist
Position Summary The Contract & Purchasing Specialist is responsible for managing the full supplier contracting lifecycle for Southwest Adventure Tours. This includes sourcing vendors, negotiating contracts, managing supplier relationships, and ensuring compliance with company standards and legal requirements. This role plays a critical part in protecting company profitability by securing competitive pricing, minimizing risk exposure, and maintaining reliable supplier partnerships. The ideal candidate is analytical, proactive, and solutions-oriented, capable of identifying opportunities for cost savings, operational improvements, and stronger vendor partnerships. This individual must demonstrate initiative by not only fulfilling assigned responsibilities but also identifying problems, proposing solutions, and implementing improvements when appropriate. Key Responsibilities Contract Negotiation & Administration Draft, review, and negotiate contracts for hotels, activities, transportation, meals, and other tour services Secure favorable pricing, payment terms, and service commitments aligned with the company's Cost of Sale targets Ensure contract language includes necessary liability protections, including indemnity, force majeure, attrition, and favorable cancellation and reduction terms Collaborate with legal advisors to maintain standardized contract templates when necessary Manage the full contract lifecycle from negotiation through execution and renewal Purchasing & Strategic Sourcing Develop regional buying strategies to support Group Series, FIT, and Large Group programs Identify and source new suppliers through market research and competitive bidding processes Conduct RFPs when necessary to improve pricing, service quality, or operational capacity Evaluate supplier proposals based on pricing, reliability, and operational compatibility Identify opportunities for long-term purchasing efficiencies and supplier consolidation Vendor Relationship Management Build and maintain strong professional relationships with supplier partners Act as the primary company contact for major vendors and regional suppliers Conduct supplier performance evaluations and service reviews Maintain vendor performance scorecards using feedback from guides, operations teams, and client reports Address supplier issues and service failures quickly and effectively Compliance & Risk Management Ensure all vendor contracts comply with company policies and applicable regulations Collect and maintain Certificates of Insurance and licensing documentation Identify contractual risks and ensure appropriate protections are included Monitor vendor compliance with agreed service standards and contract terms Maintain documentation that supports risk mitigation and liability protection Systems Management & Documentation Maintain accurate contract and vendor records within the contract management system and internal databases Ensure all contract data is captured accurately in operational and financial systems Maintain organized digital contract files and documentation Conduct periodic audits to ensure system accuracy and compliance Financial Oversight & Cost Control Develop and maintain cost assurance procedures Analyze supplier pricing and identify opportunities for cost reductions Provide cost estimates and forecasting support for tour development Coordinate with Finance to ensure timely vendor payments and reconciliation Support pre-tour financial reviews by confirming contracted rates and payment terms Cross-Department Collaboration Work closely with Operations, Sales, and Finance to ensure vendor agreements align with program needs Ensure supplier contracts support tour design, operational feasibility, and pricing deadlines Provide accurate contract information for budgeting, forecasting, and program planning Assist Operations team members as needed to support overall program success We are not looking to hire a hospitality coordinator for this job. We are specifically looking for a commercial negotiator. These are very different people. Hospitality coordinators maintain relationships. Commercial negotiators protect margin. The best candidates will have procurement, sourcing, or contract negotiation backgrounds, not just tourism operations.
Position Summary The Contract & Purchasing Specialist is responsible for managing the full supplier contracting lifecycle for Southwest Adventure Tours. This includes sourcing vendors, negotiating contracts, managing supplier relationships, and ensuring compliance with company standards and legal requirements. This role plays a critical part in protecting company profitability by securing competitive pricing, minimizing risk exposure, and maintaining reliable supplier partnerships. The ideal candidate is analytical, proactive, and solutions-oriented, capable of identifying opportunities for cost savings, operational improvements, and stronger vendor partnerships. This individual must demonstrate initiative by not only fulfilling assigned responsibilities but also identifying problems, proposing solutions, and implementing improvements when appropriate. Key Responsibilities Contract Negotiation & Administration Draft, review, and negotiate contracts for hotels, activities, transportation, meals, and other tour services Secure favorable pricing, payment terms, and service commitments aligned with the company's Cost of Sale targets Ensure contract language includes necessary liability protections, including indemnity, force majeure, attrition, and favorable cancellation and reduction terms Collaborate with legal advisors to maintain standardized contract templates when necessary Manage the full contract lifecycle from negotiation through execution and renewal Purchasing & Strategic Sourcing Develop regional buying strategies to support Group Series, FIT, and Large Group programs Identify and source new suppliers through market research and competitive bidding processes Conduct RFPs when necessary to improve pricing, service quality, or operational capacity Evaluate supplier proposals based on pricing, reliability, and operational compatibility Identify opportunities for long-term purchasing efficiencies and supplier consolidation Vendor Relationship Management Build and maintain strong professional relationships with supplier partners Act as the primary company contact for major vendors and regional suppliers Conduct supplier performance evaluations and service reviews Maintain vendor performance scorecards using feedback from guides, operations teams, and client reports Address supplier issues and service failures quickly and effectively Compliance & Risk Management Ensure all vendor contracts comply with company policies and applicable regulations Collect and maintain Certificates of Insurance and licensing documentation Identify contractual risks and ensure appropriate protections are included Monitor vendor compliance with agreed service standards and contract terms Maintain documentation that supports risk mitigation and liability protection Systems Management & Documentation Maintain accurate contract and vendor records within the contract management system and internal databases Ensure all contract data is captured accurately in operational and financial systems Maintain organized digital contract files and documentation Conduct periodic audits to ensure system accuracy and compliance Financial Oversight & Cost Control Develop and maintain cost assurance procedures Analyze supplier pricing and identify opportunities for cost reductions Provide cost estimates and forecasting support for tour development Coordinate with Finance to ensure timely vendor payments and reconciliation Support pre-tour financial reviews by confirming contracted rates and payment terms Cross-Department Collaboration Work closely with Operations, Sales, and Finance to ensure vendor agreements align with program needs Ensure supplier contracts support tour design, operational feasibility, and pricing deadlines Provide accurate contract information for budgeting, forecasting, and program planning Assist Operations team members as needed to support overall program success We are not looking to hire a hospitality coordinator for this job. We are specifically looking for a commercial negotiator. These are very different people. Hospitality coordinators maintain relationships. Commercial negotiators protect margin. The best candidates will have procurement, sourcing, or contract negotiation backgrounds, not just tourism operations.