AVP, Category Management

Vizient•Nashville, TN

21h•$156,500 - $290,100

About The Position

The AVP, Category Management provides executive leadership for a client-facing category management team and sets the strategic vision, operating model, and organizational priorities across multiple category portfolios. The role leads and develops a multi-level organization of category management professionals and people leaders, fostering a high-performing, collaborative, inclusive culture. The AVP oversees the continued evolution of the National Sourcing Center, developing organizational capabilities and governance and driving enterprise sourcing and contracting strategies. The position ensures consistent execution of complex category initiatives that deliver measurable financial, operational, clinical, and strategic value for clients. Working with executive leadership, the AVP establishes long-term business strategy, develops future leaders, drives transformation, and champions innovation across sourcing, contracting, analytics, implementation, supplier relations, and clinical stakeholder engagement. As a trusted executive advisor, the AVP builds relationships with internal leaders, client and supplier executives, and industry partners. The role is accountable for organizational performance, financial planning, resource allocation, portfolio outcomes, and adoption of responsible AI practices, while positioning the organization to meet evolving market needs and deliver strong business outcomes. Travel of 15–20% may be required as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience in strategic sourcing, category management, supply chain, consulting, healthcare operations, contracting, or related business leadership.
At least 7 years of progressive people leadership experience, including leadership of managers, senior professionals, and multi-level organizational structures.
Demonstrated success leading organizations of 30 or more employees through multiple leadership layers.
Proven experience building, scaling, or transforming high-performing organizations.
Demonstrated success leading organizational change initiatives and enterprise transformation efforts.
Executive-level experience establishing business strategy and influencing senior executives across complex organizations.
Extensive experience leading strategic sourcing, contracting, supplier negotiations, and category management initiatives.
Strong financial, operational, and business acumen, including experience managing organizational performance, budgets, resource planning, and strategic investments.
Exceptional executive communication, relationship management, coaching, and change leadership skills.
Ability to lead through ambiguity, influence without direct authority, and deliver measurable business results.
Advanced AI fluency, including ability to establish governance, promote responsible AI adoption, and use AI to improve organizational effectiveness and business performance.
Ability to travel 15–20% as needed.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree (MBA, MHA, or related field).
Healthcare, group purchasing, consulting, or other highly regulated industry experience.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop a multi-level organization of people leaders, senior professionals, and category management talent, including workforce planning, succession planning, performance management, engagement, and retention.
Lead multiple people leaders responsible for Category Management teams and promote consistent leadership practices, talent development, performance management, and organizational effectiveness.
Foster accountability, collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, employee engagement, and inclusive leadership; recruit, mentor, develop, and retain high-performing talent.
Evolve and scale the National Sourcing Center by developing organizational capabilities, governance models, and operating frameworks that support long-term growth.
Drive transformation, change management, and process modernization to improve scalability, consistency, efficiency, client experience, and business performance.
Establish the strategic vision and long-term direction for Category Management across multiple product and service portfolios, aligning category strategies with business objectives, client priorities, financial goals, and market opportunities.
Provide executive oversight of complex sourcing, contracting, supplier, and category management initiatives led by directors and senior category leaders.
Drive innovation, supplier optimization, standardization, value creation, and risk mitigation across the portfolio while balancing near-term operational priorities with long-range strategy.
Advise senior leaders on category strategy, sourcing priorities, supplier relationships, market dynamics, and organizational performance.
Build executive relationships with provider and supplier executives and strategic business partners; present strategy, portfolio performance, business outcomes, and recommendations to executive leadership.
Represent Vizient at client meetings, industry conferences, advisory councils, supplier engagements, and other external forums.
Influence enterprise decisions through collaboration across sourcing, contracting, analytics, implementation, legal, operations, and executive leadership teams.
Set organizational goals, operating metrics, governance standards, and performance expectations; ensure consistent use of sourcing methodologies, contracting standards, and category management best practices.
Monitor organizational performance against financial, operational, quality, and strategic objectives, and lead continuous improvement and enterprise change initiatives.
Partner with other executive leaders supporting the client account to maximize Vizient’s impact and value to the client.
Manage organizational performance, resource allocation, financial planning, investment prioritization, and strategic business objectives across multiple category portfolios.
Oversee portfolio performance, savings realization, supplier performance, contract outcomes, and operational effectiveness; use market trends, regulatory developments, emerging technologies, and competitive conditions to inform strategy.
Champion responsible AI adoption to improve productivity, market intelligence, sourcing strategy, decision-making, and stakeholder engagement; establish expectations for AI governance, responsible use, capability development, human oversight, and compliance.
Evaluate emerging technologies and innovative business practices that can improve organizational effectiveness and competitive advantage.