Sourcing Specialist – Meetings & Events – Remote

Embark on the next step in your career journey with Direct Travel!

As one of the fastest growing Travel Management Companies (TMC) in the world, Direct Travel is committed to reimagining what is possible for the industry, including business travel, personalized experiences, and meetings & events. Under the forward-thinking direction of our experienced leadership team, we are rapidly expanding and leveraging next-generation technologies to deliver on our vision for The Perfect Trip. This is your opportunity to grow your career and be part of a dynamic team that is setting the new standard of travel and service excellence. If you’re passionate about innovation and ready for what’s next, we’d love for you to join us!

The Sourcing Specialist is a key member of the team, serving as the primary client liaison and lead for complex, large-scale programs. This role manages the sourcing process from initial request through contract completion, including recommending destinations and suppliers, negotiating pricing and contracts, and developing preliminary budgets.

You will provide support in documentation, procurement, and sourcing areas including, but not limited to, venue selection, payment reconciliation, data entry into the CVENT meetings management tool, and management of purchase order/contract processing.

This role will work closely with the Program Managers, Sales Team, and Group Air team and report to the Operations Manager for the Sourcing Team on the Meetings & Events East Region Team.

This is a remote position.

Expedition Expectations

• Review meeting requests and conduct meeting discovery calls with client
• Gather all the information necessary to source and contract a program on behalf of a client
• Initiate RFP process to secure appropriate room blocks, logistical event needs, and pricing from hotels and/or venues.
• Use knowledge of domestic and international destinations to recommend appropriate sites
• Work with suppliers to negotiate and accept terms and conditions
• Review contracts in preparation for legal review and signature
• Meet client deadlines by providing availability grid, or other preferred document format, based on client standards, and review with client and team.
• Conduct final negotiations with selected suppliers for the best possible pricing and concessions to meet savings and spend expectations.
• Work with internal contacts to follow up with approvals needed with contracts/requisitions
• Provide suppliers with all appropriate documentation at sale notification including itinerary, supplier contracts, etc
• Create meeting records in the designated meeting management system and complete all internal documentation for the program prior to turnover
• Provide suppliers with all appropriate documentation at sale notification including itinerary, supplier contracts, etc.
• Create meeting records in the designated meeting management system and complete all internal documentation for the program prior to turnover.
• Manage requests for events: vendor set up, payment/contract status, credit card authorizations, and venue sourcing
• Provides support as needed for meetings requests
• Track and manage event spend and reporting
• Reconcile event costs and process check requests, credit card transactions, and other payments as needed
• Provide insight and recommendations into best practice for management of the CVENT reporting and data management tool
• Help coordination of site inspections for the client and or program manager
• Maintain weekly accurate records of sourcing activity and decisions in Sourcing Team OneNote
• Stay informed of industry trends, new hotel openings, and market conditions to guide sourcing decisions
• Ensure compliance with internal sourcing guidelines and other departmental standard operating procedures
• Timely and accurate budgets data entry and other required elements in Cvent
• Work on special projects assigned by the Director or Operations Manager
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with vendors, negotiating terms, and resolving issues
• This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, or efforts associated with the position

Passport to Success

• Minimum of (5) years of experience in event planning/operations and travel
• 2-3 years of sourcing experience
• Advanced destination and hotel property knowledge with a willingness to continually expand knowledge base
• CVENT experience (minimum 4 years)
• Quick learner-gets up to speed on systems/processes
• Proven negotiation skills
• Strategic thinker
• Knowledge of industry standards and trends related to responsibilities
• Handle multiple projects/demands effectively
• Experience with procure-to-pay processing activities, credit cards, contract management systems and travel
• Understanding of and ability to effect win/win solutions
• Highly skilled in time management to facilitate involvement in multiple projects
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite especially outlook, teams and excel
• Professional manner and appearance
• Must be able to take direction and work well with others
• Must be able to concentrate and perform accurately while meeting applicable productivity measures
• Must be able to manage changes proactively and manage other tasks as assigned
• Occasional travel may be required (less than 5%)
• Must be able to lawfully work within the US and have unrestricted work authorization for US

Going the Extra Mile

• International Hotel Sourcing Experience
• Operations experience in hospitality industry or equivalent a plus

Benefits Onboard

In addition to Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits Direct Travel offers an employee rewards and recognitions program, Total Rewards Package which includes Wellness, Sustainability, DE&I initiatives, and Mental Health Support.

Our Brand Voyage: Direct Travel

Direct Travel is a leading provider of corporate travel management services. By leveraging both the expertise of its people and innovative solutions, Direct Travel enables clients to derive the greatest value from their travel program in terms of superior service, progressive technologies, and significant cost savings. The company is led by CEO Christal Bemont and Executive Chairman Steve Singh, noted business investor and founder of Concur. Direct Travel has offices in over 80 locations and is currently ranked among the top providers of travel on Travel Weekly’s Power List. For more information, visit www.dt.com.

Direct Travel is an EOE/AA/Veteran/People with Disabilities employer

If you're ready to chart a new course and advance your career with the valuable moments and travel experiences that await, we welcome you to submit your resume for consideration at Direct Travel.