Category Manager

W2 only, no C2C, must be authorized to work in the US (both now and in the future).

Carex is partnering with a leading biotech industry partner to find a highly skilled Category Manager to support category strategy development and execution, with a strong emphasis on IT-related sourcing and vendor management. This role is based in Madison, WI, and is responsible for managing high-spend and complex spend categories. The ideal candidate will collaborate closely with key business stakeholders, especially in IT, to develop and maintain strategic sourcing plans that align with technology goals and digital transformation efforts.

What You’ll Do

• Serve as the subject matter expert in category management, leading strategy development, category charters, and stakeholder alignment.
• Develop and implement sourcing strategies for IT-related professional services, including consulting, implementation, and support services.
• Collaborate with IT and business leaders to ensure sourcing initiatives align with enterprise goals and evolving digital transformation needs.
• Lead vendor selection and negotiation processes, ensuring contracts meet savings and risk management objectives.
• Establish and track progress against category-specific goals and KPIs.
• Monitor market trends to identify innovations and improvements in sourcing and category strategies.
• Apply structured RFx processes and best practices to vendor evaluations and strategic sourcing.
• Champion a supplier relationship management approach that fosters value and continuous improvement.
• Drive savings initiatives for indirect spend and maintain a robust savings pipeline aligned with procurement targets.
• Communicate sourcing success and recommend process improvements to internal stakeholders.
• Support education on category management policies and ensure compliance across impacted departments.
• Lead multiple projects with changing priorities, providing solutions and adapting quickly in a dynamic environment.
• Represent category management strategies and results to various internal and external audiences.
  
  
  

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Proven experience in category management, specifically supporting IT or technology categories.
• Strong knowledge of sourcing and vendor management practices in IT services, including consulting and implementation.
• Excellent negotiation, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and make decisions with limited information.
• Comfort navigating complex organizational structures and managing cross-functional relationships.
• Experience leading change initiatives and educating stakeholders on new procurement models.
• Ability to manage multiple high-impact projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to travel up to 15% of the time and work across multiple local Madison locations as needed.
  
  
  

Carex Consulting Group is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.