Category Management Director - Indirect Sourcing

Vizient•Chicago, IL

2d•$102,400 - $179,000•Hybrid

About The Position

In this role, you will serve as the strategic leader, category subject matter expert, and trusted business advisor for assigned category portfolios. This role develops and executes category strategies that deliver measurable financial, operational, clinical, and organizational value for members while advancing Vizient's strategic objectives. The Category Management Director leads complex sourcing initiatives, facilitates stakeholder alignment, guides value analysis discussions, and provides strategic direction to multidisciplinary teams. Through deep category expertise, market intelligence, and consultative leadership, this role influences sourcing, contracting, and value-based decisions across a broad range of stakeholders, which may include clinicians, physicians, executives, operational leaders, supply chain leaders, and suppliers.

Requirements

7 or more years of relevant experience required in category management, strategic sourcing, supply chain, consulting, healthcare operations, contracting, or related field.
Demonstrated experience leading complex sourcing and category management initiatives.
Proven ability to serve as a trusted advisor and influence executive, clinical, operational, and supplier stakeholders.
Experience facilitating stakeholder committees, value analysis initiatives, or cross-functional decision-making groups.
Strong negotiation and contracting experience with complex supplier agreements.
Advanced analytical skills with the ability to translate data into strategic recommendations.
Excellent executive communication, presentation, and relationship management skills.
Demonstrates deep knowledge of AI tools, capabilities, outputs, and limitations and applies AI effectively in complex business situations. Leverages AI to improve productivity, analysis, decision-making, and innovation; critically evaluates AI-generated content and serves as a resource to others in the effective and responsible use of AI solutions.
Willingness to travel.

Nice To Haves

Relevant degree preferred.
Healthcare, group purchasing, consulting, or highly regulated industry experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead comprehensive category strategies for assigned portfolios that align with client priorities and organizational objectives.
Serve as the primary category subject matter expert and strategic advisor for stakeholders across sourcing, contracting, and value analysis initiatives.
Identify category opportunities through analysis of spend, utilization, supplier performance, market conditions, and member priorities.
Establish strategic plans that drive value realization, standardization, innovation, risk mitigation, and cost optimization.
Lead end-to-end sourcing initiatives including opportunity assessment, requirements development, RFI/RFP execution, supplier evaluation, negotiations, contract development, and implementation.
Develop and negotiate complex business, financial, operational, and contractual terms with suppliers.
Build consensus among client stakeholders, suppliers, and Vizient teams to create solutions that meet clinical, operational, and financial objectives.
Provide guidance and direction on complex contracting strategies and negotiations.
Lead stakeholder committees consisting of physicians, clinicians, value analysis leaders, supply chain professionals, operational leadership and executive stakeholders as applicable.
Facilitate discussions that align stakeholder priorities and support informed sourcing and contracting decisions.
Present category strategies, sourcing recommendations, and initiative outcomes to executive-level audiences.
Build trust-based relationships with key stakeholders and suppliers to drive long-term value delivery.
Manage a complex category portfolio with significant cross-functional collaboration across sourcing, contracting, analytics, implementation, and value analysis teams.
Anticipate and respond to market, regulatory, supply chain, legal, and competitive factors impacting category strategies.
Provide mentoring, guidance, and subject matter expertise to other team members.
Represent Vizient in supplier, member, and industry-facing engagements related to assigned categories.
Evaluate and interpret spend, utilization, supplier, and market data to inform category strategies and recommendations.
Identify opportunities for savings, standardization, quality improvement, technology adoption, and operational efficiency.
Monitor supplier performance and market developments to ensure ongoing category effectiveness.
Partner with internal teams to achieve annual operational, financial, and strategic portfolio goals.
Applies advanced AI fluency to enhance category strategy development, market intelligence, stakeholder communications, and business decision-making; evaluates and refines AI-generated outputs for accuracy, relevance, and business impact, while promoting effective and responsible use of AI tools across sourcing, contracting, and category management activities.