Category Manager - Professional Services

Pay Range:

The UMass President's Office expects to pay within an approximate range between $95,000 and $110,000 for this position. The specific pay for this position will be determined by the University based on consideration of all relevant factors when and if it decides to extend an offer of employment.

Work Location:

Westborough, MA, hybrid work schedule available.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Strategic Sourcing Manager, the Category Manager - Professional Services is an experienced procurement professional who can lead the development of a strategic vision and operational plan to maximize business opportunities through effective Category Management & Process Execution. Will act as the single point of contact and should exhibit the ability to manage all operations related to sourcing and procurement activities for directly assigned categories including management of Strategic Sourcing Specialist.

Essential Functions:

• Responsible for the development of specific category strategies for the assigned spend categories, including market research/benchmarks, milestones, savings targets, resource requirements, and implementation plans.
• Identify and execute strategic initiatives within the categories mentioned above to drive maximum cost savings and value creation for the organization.
• Partner closely with key stakeholder teams to understand critical business needs and support development of strategies to address.
• Supervise Strategic Sourcing team members assigned to support category sourcing activities
• Execute all steps of the strategic sourcing process including developing RFPs, negotiating with suppliers, conducting bid analysis, and making supplier recommendations.
• Assign and have responsibility for the execution of strategic sourcing process including developing RFPs, negotiating with suppliers, conducting bid analysis, and making supplier recommendations conducted by Strategic Sourcing Specialists
• Train, support and evaluate Strategic Sourcing Specialists
• Provide aggregate reporting on category performance and key metrics such as savings and supplier performance.
• Monitor and research industry trends as well as "Best Practices" and adopt them as appropriate for assigned spend categories.
• Consistently demonstrate the art of influencing without authority and build consensus to change buying behaviors across the University system.
• Manage internal customer relationships through cross functional engagement and develop deep category knowledge in the assigned category areas.
• Conduct supplier performance management initiatives and drive continuous improvement.
• Monitor supplier performance to ensure that delivery dates and technical and contractual requirements are met. Participate in strategic meetings with suppliers and business leaders to ensure execution of defined strategies
• Manages day-to-day on-going category supplier relations and seeks out growth or revision opportunities within supply base. Acts as the internal point of contact for supplier management and complaint resolution; conducts regular supplier meetings and implements improvement strategies with suppliers. Creates, nurtures, and enhances supplier relationships.
• Aggressively manages category performance by setting and adhering to internal goals (such as savings and contract adoption) and reviewing financial models for commodity type items. Ensure spend portfolio for reoccurring managed spend is balanced through coordinated sourcing waves and leveraged with Capital project sourcing activities.
• Drive consolidation of spend and seek out synergies across campuses where applicable, by forming and leading cross-functional strategic sourcing teams to develop and implement category/commodity strategies and to drive cost from individual spend sub-categories.

Other Functions:

• Work with other Strategic Sourcing practitioners to foster an inclusive and high-performance culture across the Unified Procurement Services Team.
• Perform other duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience):

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
• 5 - 7 years of professional experience directly related to purchasing, category management, or sourcing
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office or similar software
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and writing skills needed to present or communicate effectively with all levels of management
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills (i.e., excel modelling)

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience):

• MBA
• Professional experience in a higher education institution
• Experience working in a shared services environment
• Excellent business partnering, communications skills, and strong process focus
• High degree of motivation, the ability to prioritize and self-direct and sound interpersonal skills.
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills required
• Expertise in Contracts Terms and Conditions

Working Conditions:

• Typical office environment
• Must be able to travel occasionally to all UMass campuses and the Boston central office

Additional Details:

All offers are contingent on the successful completion of a background check