Sr. Lead - Hotel Operations Sourcing

The Gig

The Sr. Lead Hotel Operations Sourcing will support Virgin Voyages’ Hotel Operations by leading sourcing, cost management and vendor performance activities across equipment, consumables, amenities, food and beverage. This role will manage the end-to-end Request for Pricing (RFP) process, track planned versus actual cost performance, and partner closely with Fleet Operations, The Apollo Group and other third parties to ensure quality, availability and value while supporting Virgin Voyages’ brand, sailor experience and crew satisfaction.

This gig is based at VVHQ - our swanky Virgin Voyages Head Office in Plantation, FL, where we follow a hybrid work environment. We can t wait to  sea  you in person during our Collaboration Days, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, while you enjoy Mondays and Fridays  as remote days. The role will also travel to The Apollo Group in Miami up to twice per month to meet with the Hotel Purchasing Team to review performance and opportunities, and will have occasional visits to our ships in Port Miami.

• Manage the Request for Pricing (RFP) process for equipment, consumables and amenities across all Hotel Operations areas, from requirements definition through evaluation and award.
• Partner with the Fleet Operations team to coordinate the RFP process for food and beverage categories, ensuring alignment to quality standards, menu strategies and brand positioning.
• Work with The Apollo Group and other third parties to track actual unit costs versus planned, identifying errors, overcharging and process breakdowns, and following up to secure corrections and credits.
• Work with The Apollo Group to define long-term category strategies for Hotel Operations to optimize cost, quality, and supplier performance.
• Ensure all sourcing decisions support Virgin Voyages’ sustainability policy.
• Track forecast equipment, food and beverage cost savings and cost increases versus actuals; report monthly results including item- and vendor-level variances by rate and volume.
• Build and maintain tools and reporting that provide visibility to cost performance, savings realization and key sourcing initiatives for Hotel Operations leadership.
• Work with The Apollo Group Purchasing and Logistics team to ensure quality issues, shortages, substitutions and loading exceptions are followed up and resolved in line with contract terms and service level expectations.
• Liaise with Hotel Operations shoreside department heads (e.g., Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, Sailor Services, Crew Services) to identify issues, risks and opportunities within each area related to sourcing, product selection, quality and cost.
• Develop and present cost-saving and value-enhancing proposals to operations teams, including business cases that quantify financial impact and operational implications.
• Support contract implementation and ongoing vendor performance management, ensuring that negotiated pricing, specifications, service levels and reporting requirements are understood and adhered to. Manage contract documentation practices, including following the company approved ZIP process for contract storage, visibility, and documentation control standards.
• Collaborate with Finance, Hotel Systems and Apollo teams to ensure alignment between sourcing assumptions, budgets, forecasts and actual performance at both fleet and ship level.
• Support continuous improvement of purchasing, inventory and logistics processes impacting Hotel Operations, identifying standardization, consolidation and efficiency opportunities.
• Prepare and deliver clear presentations and updates for Hotel Operations leadership on sourcing initiatives, realized savings, emerging risks and recommended actions.
• Foster strong, professional relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners, representing Virgin Voyages’ brand values in all negotiations and supplier engagements. Take the lead on supplier relationship management practices to position Virgin Voyages as a customer of choice.

• Degree in Business Administration or a related field, or equivalent relevant job experience.
• Experience as a purchasing agent, purchasing manager…