Strategic Sourcing Specialist - Professional Services

Who are we?

Cohere is the leading security-first enterprise AI company. We build cutting-edge foundation AI models and end-to-end products that are designed to solve real-world business problems.

We’re training and deploying frontier models for enterprises who are building AI systems. We believe that our work is instrumental to the widespread adoption of AI and we are looking for folks that want to be part of that.

We obsess over what we build. Each one of us is responsible for contributing to increasing the capabilities of our models and the value they drive for our customers. Cohere is a team of researchers, engineers, designers, and more, who are all passionate about their craft.

We are a global technology company headquartered in Toronto with key offices in London, New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, Paris, Berlin and Seoul. Join us!

Why This Role:

Cohere seeks a Strategic Sourcing Specialist to support our Professional Services Procurement function. In this role, you will focus on executing Strategic Sourcing activities across key categories as we grow. You will work with teams like FP&A, Accounting, Legal, and business stakeholders to support our procurement operations. This is a great opportunity for a hands-on Procurement professional who enjoys working in a growing environment and helping implement efficient processes.

Contract Terms:

This is a 12-month fixed-term contract position with the potential for conversion to a permanent role based on business needs and performance. Please note that conversion to a permanent position is not automatic and will be subject to a separate evaluation process and mutual agreement between the candidate and Cohere. This arrangement provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your capabilities and contribute to our strategic procurement initiatives while allowing both parties to assess long-term fit.

Key Responsibilities:

Manage Procurement & Sourcing activities for Professional Services categories including Consulting, Marketing (events, media, services), Legal, Communications and other external services

Develop and execute strategic sourcing initiatives to optimize costs and service quality

Own the end-to-end Procurement lifecycle from needs assessment to contract execution

Lead and manage the complete RFP/RFQ process from development through vendor evaluation and selection

Develop and implement category management strategies across Professional Services

Conduct comprehensive market research, competitive analysis, and supplier benchmarking

Drive cost optimization initiatives and track savings realization

Analyze spending patterns and identify opportunities for cost savings and process improvements

Manage contract lifecycle including renewals, amendments, and terminations

Manage vendor relationships and negotiations for Professional Services providers

Evaluate vendor performance and conduct strategic sourcing initiatives

Ensure compliance with Procurement policy and regulations

Bridge the gap between Procurement and Accounting to ensure proper PO management and payment processes

Maintain robust documentation and internal controls