Samantha Shafran
Ponte Vedra Beach,FL
Summary
Strategic procurement professional with expertise in crafting global sourcing strategies for multimillion-dollar contracts. Utilizes analytical skills and entrepreneurial insight to improve supplier performance and achieve cost efficiencies. Demonstrates strong negotiation abilities and data-driven decision-making to foster operational excellence and support organizational growth.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
4
4
Certifications
Work History
Senior Global Procurement Specialist
Talkdesk
Remote, USA
06.2024 - Current
- Led the global procurement function with full responsibility for sourcing strategy, contract execution, stakeholder partnership, and vendor performance across the organization.
- Personally managed and negotiated complex multimillion-dollar agreements, serving as the lead commercial owner for the most strategic, high-visibility, and high-risk contracts within the organization.
- Developed global sourcing strategy for multimillion-dollar vendor agreements, aligning procurement efforts with sales, R&D, marketing, and operations objectives.
- Directed three procurement specialists by setting strategic priorities, delegating agreement ownership, providing coaching and development, and ensuring that all work aligned with organizational goals and risk requirements.
- Managed contract activities for my team, ensuring high-quality work and effective negotiation strategies.
- Streamlined procurement processes: managed RFPs, RFIs, supplier evaluations, pricing negotiations, legal redlines, security reviews, and onboarding.
Global Buyer
Talkdesk
San Francisco, USA
06.2023 - 06.2024
- Championed the adoption of Coupa Software, enhancing purchase order issuance efficiency, operational agility, and vendor relationships.
- Directed complex RFPs for SaaS solutions, overseeing procurement from sourcing to implementation to ensure alignment with organizational goals.
- Monitored contract performance while fostering vendor relationships to ensure compliance with terms and service-level agreements, enhancing service delivery.
- Aligned legal, security, and finance in negotiations, expediting contract resolutions.
- Assessed security risks for new suppliers to safeguard data integrity and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Senior Assistant Buyer
Dillard's
St. Petersburg, USA
01.2022 - 06.2023
- Directly reported to Alexandra Dillard, daughter of Dillard's current CEO and granddaughter of Dillard's Founder.
- Managed $76M in purchases, driving 35% of total department sales and gross profits.
- Took over $76M of purchases, accounting for about 35% of total department sales and gross profits.
- Purchased large-scale inventories, aligning data analytics and market trends to enhance revenue and profitability.
- Negotiated costs and retail pricing for mass goods, establishing strategies that maintained tight margins.
Business Development Manager
Bloomingdale's
Miami, USA
08.2020 - 01.2022
- Established, initiated, and optimized business development strategies based on targets, product specifications, and market data.
- Forecasted sales, allocated resources, and managed labor to increase record-breaking revenue of 58% over the year prior.
- Tracked customer acquisition and increased retention by 36%.
- Led, coached, and managed a team of 37 Sales Associates.
- Maintained detailed accounting records by overseeing the documentation of sales and requisitions.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology
University of Florida
Gainesville, FLMaster of Science - Merchandising
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OKSkills
- Sourcing strategy
- Contract negotiation
- Vendor performance management
- RFP management
- Supplier relationship management
- Supplier onboarding
- Cost reduction strategies
- Market analysis
- Coupa software proficiency
Certification
Talkdesker Of The Year Award - 2026
Timeline
Senior Global Procurement Specialist
Talkdesk
06.2024 - Current
Global Buyer
Talkdesk
06.2023 - 06.2024
Senior Assistant Buyer
Dillard's
01.2022 - 06.2023
Business Development Manager
Bloomingdale's
08.2020 - 01.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology
University of Florida
Master of Science - Merchandising
Oklahoma State University