Sourcing Specialist - Academic Services

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Grade: Professional 307 Pay Range: $68,300.00 - $102,500.00

Job Description

Join our team as a Sourcing Specialist and play a key role in driving efficient, high-quality procurement operations. In this role, you will support sourcing strategies, evaluate suppliers, and help ensure the organization secures the best value for goods and services for the Academic teams. You will build your expertise while contributing to increasingly complex purchasing initiatives that directly impact business performance.

What You'll Do

• Evaluate supplier capabilities, including risk and quality assessments
• Manage the bidding process, including inviting and receiving supplier bids
• Analyze pricing, products, discounts, and delivery terms to support sourcing decisions
• Communicate with suppliers, manufacturers, and service providers to gather market insights and product information
• Resolve purchase order, billing, and payment issues in partnership with internal stakeholders
• Maintain accurate records of contracts, orders, and supplier performance
• Partner with finance, legal, and cross-functional teams to support contract negotiation and implementation

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree
• 2 years of procurement, supply chain, or business experience
• Basic knowledge of purchasing principles, ethics, and standards
• Understanding of purchase orders versus contracts and when to apply each
• Familiarity with competitive bidding processes and procurement workflows
• Foundational knowledge of contract terms, pricing structures, and cost analysis
• Strong organizational and negotiation skills with the ability to support supplier discussions
• Effective decision-making skills and ability to prioritize in a dynamic environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools

Bonus Points

• Experience with purchasing academic software in a higher education setting
• Experience supporting contract negotiations or supplier management
• Exposure to forecasting or trend analysis in a procurement environment
• Familiarity with market analysis and pricing benchmarking

Experience in Lieu of Education
Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this role may substitute for education requirements. Generally, one year of experience may be considered in place of one year of education, at the discretion of the hiring manager.

What to Expect
At WGU, our mission drives everything we do, including how we hire. Our interview experience is designed to give qualified candidates the opportunity to show their best work through meaningful conversations and collaboration.
We thoughtfully review every application and invite forward the candidates whose experience and potential best align with the role and our mission.

• Introductory call
• Hiring manager interview
• Final interview with hiring manager's leader

Work Location
This is a full-time, in-office position at WGU's office in Raleigh, NC.

Visa Sponsorship
While we welcome applicants from all backgrounds, WGU is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this role.

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.