Global Category Manager – Professional Services

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

📋 Description

• Formulate and implement extensive global category strategies that align with Agilent's business goals, financial targets, and transformation initiatives.

• Develop and oversee Agilent's preferred supplier strategy for professional services, which encompasses supplier segmentation, governance, performance management, and integration across business functions.

• Create category playbooks informed by spend analysis, supplier concentration, demand trends, contract coverage, market conditions, business risks, and stakeholder needs.

• Identify and prioritize avenues for competitive sourcing, supplier consolidation, standardization, demand management, and optimization of commercial models.

• Establish and maintain a proactive pipeline of sourcing events, contract renewals, and strategic supplier initiatives.

• Act as the primary procurement advisor for Professional Services.

• Persuade stakeholders to enhance competitive tension, utilize preferred suppliers, aggregate demand, refine requirements, and adopt enterprise-wide category strategies.

• Deliver sourcing recommendations, negotiation results, business cases, risks, and decisions in a clear and concise manner suitable for executive review.

• Facilitate alignment across functions and regions to maximize enterprise leverage while addressing essential business needs.

• Lead intricate global and regional sourcing initiatives, which include strategy formulation, RFPs, RFQs, supplier evaluations, negotiations, recommendations, and implementations.

• Negotiate various commercial agreements, including fixed-fee, milestone-based, outcome-based, managed-service, retainer, rate-card, and time-and-material models.

• Develop data-driven negotiation strategies that balance cost, quality, flexibility, speed, innovation, and risk.

• Establish governance frameworks for strategic Professional Services suppliers, defining roles, decision rights, escalation processes, KPIs, and executive review schedules.

• Conduct supplier business reviews and performance discussions focusing on service quality, commercial compliance, measurable outcomes, innovation, and continuous improvement.

• Implement scorecards and corrective action plans to hold suppliers accountable for their contractual and operational commitments.

• Monitor risks related to suppliers, concentration, financial performance, operations, data, and reputation, and coordinate mitigation strategies.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or a related field.

• Over 10 years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management, or consulting.

• Proven experience managing Professional Services, consulting, outsourcing, or other intricate indirect service categories.

• Demonstrated success in leading high-value sourcing initiatives and conducting complex commercial negotiations within a global, matrixed environment.

• Strong capabilities in stakeholder influencing, analytical thinking, negotiation, and executive-level communication.

• Ability to work autonomously, navigate uncertainty, manage conflicting priorities, and drive decisions without direct authority.

• Preferred: Master’s degree, MBA, CPSM, CIPS, CPM, or an equivalent professional qualification.

• Preferred: Experience within life sciences, diagnostics, technology, or other highly regulated global sectors.

• Preferred: Background in implementing preferred supplier programs, managed services, or supplier performance initiatives.

• Preferred: Familiarity with eSourcing, spend analytics, procurement reporting, and contract lifecycle management platforms.

• Willingness to travel occasionally.

• Day shift availability.

🏝️ Benefits

• Eligibility for a performance-based bonus.

• Stock options.

• Comprehensive benefits package.

• Option to work remotely.

• Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity and merit-based hiring practices.

• Workplace accessibility support for candidates with disabilities.