Category Strategist

Key Responsibilities:

• Create, implement, and manage multi-year category sourcing strategies for various categories within corporate services, with a focus on HR Services.
• Lead cross-functional strategic sourcing teams that include representation from the internal customer, finance, legal, and the end user community.
• Analyze spend data and identify opportunities to consolidate suppliers of similar services in order to drive cost reductions.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to understand current and future business needs, as well as external resource requirements, in order to create and execute project pipeline.
• Influence key executive stakeholders to engage sourcing as a key partner in order to drive cost out of their 3rd party suppliers.
• Drive a measurable reduction in year over year total cost of ownership for managed categories.
• Manage supplier qualification, RFP, supplier selection, contract development, implementation, compliance, and ongoing supply management processes as they pertain to managed categories.
• Conduct regular reviews of supplier scorecards and operational metrics to drive continuous improvement of suppliers in categories managed by the Category Leader.
• Leverage e-sourcing and spend analysis tools to drive incremental year over year cost savings.
• Provide external industry benchmarking to better assess strategy and solutions.
• Drive process improvements to create efficiencies in sourcing procedures and the interaction with internal stakeholders and suppliers.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

• 4-year undergraduate college degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain, a related field or equivalent experience; Master's degree preferred.
• A minimum five years' (seven years or more preferred) experience in sourcing various services including, but not limited to Marketing & Sales spend.
• Advanced knowledge of contract terms and conditions.
• Exceptional ability to engage cross functional teams and influence decision making process. Must be able to navigate a complex organization structure to solve problems inherent in large scale supplier implementations.
• Advanced contract negotiation skills, specifically service providers whose product may be intangible.
• Demonstrated experience with successfully developing and executing multi-year sourcing category strategies in complex areas of spend.
• Proven ability to lead cross functional teams and solve problems in a complex organization.
• Strong analytical skills required.
• Strong influencing, project management and change management skills.
• Strong computer technology skills.
• Excellent teamwork skills.
• Must be able to work within all functions and levels of an organization.
• 15% global travel.