What are the responsibilities and job description for the Category Manager - Enterprise Software & Indirect Spend position at NorthMark Strategies?
We are seeking a Sr. Category Manager - Enterprise Software & Indirect Spend to define and execute the global strategy for Enterprise Software and Indirect Spend categories. This role owns end-to-end category leadership across a broad portfolio, including enterprise software, research software, and high-volume indirect spend, with responsibility for large-scale, enterprise-wide spend portfolios.
A core focus of this role is to continuously assess category maturity, identify spend areas that warrant elevation to strategic category status, and proactively design category strategies aligned to future business and technology requirements.
This role also plays a critical part in automating high-volume, low-dollar purchasing through guided buying, punch-out, and catalog-based procurement solutions to improve efficiency, compliance, and user experience.
Key Responsibilities
Category Strategy & Portfolio Management
- Own and drive global category management strategies for Enterprise Software, Research Software, and Indirect Spend
- Conduct ongoing spend analysis and demand forecasting to identify categories that should be graduated from tactical or operational management to strategic category ownership
- Develop differentiated strategies for:
- -- Enterprise Software (enterprise-wide platforms, SaaS, business applications)
- -- Research Software (specialized, user-driven, and innovation-focused tools)
- Align category strategies to future-state business, technology, and organizational requirements
- Lead the full source-to-contract lifecycle, including market intelligence, sourcing strategy, negotiations, and contract management
Automation, Guided Buying & Procurement Enablement
- Define and execute a strategy to automate high-volume, low-spend purchasing, reducing manual effort and increasing compliance
- Lead implementation and expansion of guided buying experiences, including:
- Punch-out integrations
- Hosted and supplier-managed catalogs
- Preferred supplier buying channels
- Partner with procurement operations, IT, and finance to improve P2P adoption, policy compliance, and end-user experience
- Drive standardization and reduce maverick spend across indirect categories
Stakeholder & Supplier Management
- Act as a strategic partner to IT, finance, legal, HR, research, and business stakeholders
- Manage complex supplier ecosystems across enterprise software publishers, research software providers, resellers, and indirect suppliers
- Lead vendor rationalization, license optimization, and demand management initiatives
- Operate effectively in complex, multi-entity and matrixed environments, aligning category strategies across regions and business units
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required, with a preference for Supply Chain Management, Business, Information Systems, Operations, or a related field
- 12 years of experience in category management, strategic sourcing, or procurement leadership
- Proven experience managing large, enterprise-wide software and indirect spend portfolios
- Strong background in enterprise and research software sourcing, SaaS contracting, and indirect spend management
- Demonstrated success in spend analytics, category segmentation, and strategic portfolio management
- Experience designing and executing procurement automation strategies, including guided buying, punch-outs, and catalog solutions
- Proven ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-growth, and ambiguous environments
- Strong commercial, analytical, and executive communication skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Category management or supply chain certifications (e.g., CPSM, CSCP, CPM, CIPS, or equivalent)
- Experience leading procurement transformation or P2P optimization initiatives
- Experience working in matrixed, multi-entity, or global organizations
- Familiarity with leading procurement platforms (e.g., Coupa, Ariba, Oracle, or similar)