This hybrid position will be located at our WSS office. Expectations for hybrid in-office schedule is three days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
The Procurement & Vendor Manager will be responsible for managing the procurement processes, strategies, and vendor relationships within the retail corporate division across Facilities, Construction, DC, and Stores. This position leads and executes strategic sourcing initiatives oversees vendor performance, identifies procurement opportunities, and collaborates with business partners to bring these initiatives to fruition. This role drives positive engagement throughout the department, focusing on value-added processes and cost efficiencies. This role requires a proactive leader who can target impactful spend, and cash savings annually while fostering innovation, collaboration, and enterprise thinking.
Responsibilities
Procurement Processes and Strategies
- Strategic Leadership: Partner with Senior Management to develop and implement comprehensive procurement strategies that focus on value-added processes and cost efficiencies.
- Contract Governance: Own and standardize the company-wide contract review and approval process, ensuring consistency in terms, risk mitigation, and alignment with legal, finance, and operational requirements.
- Operational Excellence: Lead root-cause analysis on spend inefficiencies, vendor performance issues, and operational bottlenecks; implement and oversee corrective action plans.
- Strategic Sourcing: Challenge the status quo by identifying non-obvious savings opportunities, including spec changes, vendor consolidation, and demand management rather than just price negotiation.
- Performance Culture: Provide leadership to the Procurement Team, fostering a high-performance environment centered on continuous improvement and strategic thinking.
Store Development & Facilities Support
- Cross-Functional Partnership: Partner directly with Store Development, Construction, and Facilities teams to support new store builds, remodels, and ongoing maintenance programs.
- Service Agreement Management: Evaluate and negotiate multi-year service agreements (e.g., HVAC, repairs, janitorial) with a heavy focus on equipment uptime and total lifecycle cost.
- Value Engineering: Collaborate on value engineering initiatives to identify cost savings in materials, design specs, and build processes without compromising brand standards or durability.
Financial Impact & Compliance
- Financial Analysis: Evaluate sourcing decisions through a P&L and ROI lens, managing the impact on both capital expenditure (CapEx) and operating expenses (OpEx).
- Planning & Forecasting: Support financial planning by maintaining a pipeline of savings and providing accurate forecasting for spend and potential market headwinds.
- Departmental Administration: Manage departmental financial processes, oversee corporate credit card compliance, and assist in streamlining travel and procurement policies.
- Relationship Management: Influence and cultivate strong relationships across the organization and with key external suppliers to achieve enterprise goals.
Qualifications
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
- A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Finance, Accounting, or a related field is essential. A master's degree in a related field is highly preferred.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in procurement, vendor management, or a related field
- Experience in the use of Microsoft 365 software a must.
- Experience with contract negotiation, vendor management, and strategic sourcing preferred.
OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES:
- Ability to lead and develop team members while driving results.
- Strong communication and influencing skills.
- Ability to independently lead initiatives and manage multiple priorities.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to draw sound conclusions.
- Self-starter with strong attention to detail, initiative, and follow-through.
- Ability to sit or stand for extended periods and occasionally lift up to 20 pounds.
- Ability to travel periodically to supplier sites, retail locations, and distribution centers (10% travel).
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.
At Foot Locker, we value innovation, authenticity, and integrity in all that we do. To uphold the security and fairness of our hiring process, we ask that candidates refrain from using AI tools, including ChatGPT, during interviews and assessments. To ensure a smooth and secure experience, please review the following guidelines:
- Cameras must be on for all virtual interviews.
- AI tools are strictly prohibited during interviews or assessments.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work together to create a transparent and equitable hiring experience.
Benefits
The annual base salary range is $82,000 - $116,000 / year. This range represents the anticipated low and high end of the salary for this position. Salary will be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data. Salary is one component of the WSS total compensation package, which includes the below.
- Paid Time Off, Paid Parental Leave
- Life, Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage – Individual and Family Plans
- Self-Development & Recognition Programs
- Bonus Incentive Program
- Advancement Opportunities
- 401k Retirement Plan and HSA Contributions
- 30%-50% Employee Discount - Friend & Family Events
- Community Engagement Opportunities
This is a hybrid position with in‑office work on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in our Gardena, CA office.
WSS is the premier footwear retailer in the U.S. doing business in neighborhood-based stores. Consumers trust WSS for the best brands, greatest values and largest selection of athletic, dress, fashion and casual footwear for the entire family. Our large store format enables us to showcase thousands of styles from top name brands likeNike, Jordan, Vans, Converse, Adidas, Puma, Skechers, etc. In addition, WSS carries high quality private brands augmenting the breadth of selection to deliver amazing value to our customers.