Category Manager – IT

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of the category strategy for designated IT expenditure areas, which encompass SaaS and software, cloud infrastructure, end-user computing and endpoint services, as well as telecom and network.

• Manage the renewal pipeline by tracking expiration dates, assigning responsibilities, developing engagement strategies, and acting proactively to maintain leverage.

• Keep abreast of market and vendor intelligence, utilizing this information to inform category plans.

• Oversee the vendor framework, which includes designations for preferred and strategic vendors, targets for consolidation, and standards for the portfolio.

• Set spend baselines, establish savings goals, leverage options, alternatives, and business cases prior to engaging with vendors.

• Lead competitive sourcing activities from start to finish, including defining requirements, preparing RFx, evaluating submissions, shortlisting candidates, and awarding contracts.

• Negotiate pricing, terms, escalators, termination and exit rights, SLAs, service credits, and liability using a total-cost-of-ownership perspective.

• Construct analyses of spend and TCO, normalize quotes, reconcile usage and license counts, and model commitments over multiple years.

• Confirm and document final savings and cost avoidance in relation to established baselines.

• Facilitate contract execution with the Legal team, including commercial redlines and reviews for Information Security and data privacy.

• Manage third-party risk intake and maintain documentation related to sourcing intake and pipeline.

• Align with stakeholders on requirements, timelines, tradeoffs, and sourcing strategies.

• Offer guidance to technology leaders and business units regarding vendor options, commercial structures, timelines, and tradeoffs.

• Record insights gained, lessons learned, benchmarks, and negotiation strategies for the sourcing knowledge base.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 6 years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, category management, vendor management, or a related commercial role.

• Experience in IT, software, SaaS, or technology services categories.

• Demonstrated ability to lead vendor negotiations directly and formulate strategies based on leverage.

• Capability to challenge supplier assumptions and achieve measurable advancements in pricing, terms, risk, and flexibility.

• Familiarity with commercial contract terms and comfort in collaborating with Legal on redlines, negotiation positions, and tradeoffs related to contract risks.

• Strong skills in spend and data analysis, including the ability to create and defend TCO and multi-year commitment models.

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets.

• Excellent collaboration skills across functions including Finance, Legal, Information Security, IT, and business stakeholders.

• Organized and systems-oriented work habits, with proficiency in using procurement intake, sourcing, or work management platforms such as Zip, Coupa, Ariba, or Jira.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, particularly in making data-intensive recommendations easy to implement.

• Reliable broadband internet connection (cable or fiber-optic) with minimum speeds of 10 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload for remote work.

• Active participation in video interviews and ongoing virtual meetings with the camera on.

• A Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field is preferred but not mandatory.

🏝️ Benefits

• A remote-first work environment that offers flexibility to balance professional and personal life.

• Reimbursement to assist with the costs associated with setting up your home or remote office.

• Reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.