Category Manager – Services

HealthFirst•New York, NY

2d•$103,400 - $149,430•Hybrid

About The Position

The Category Manager – Services develops and executes enterprise category strategies to optimize value, manage risk, and enable business growth through data-driven decision-making, digital procurement capabilities, and strategic supplier partnerships. The role works collaboratively with Procurement COE, Operations, Finance, Legal, HR, Compliance, and business stakeholders, using analytics, market intelligence, and procurement technologies to deliver measurable business outcomes, operational excellence, and continuous improvement. This is a hybrid position requiring attendance at the 100 Church Street, NYC office three days per week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Finance, Operations Management, or equivalent, with related experience.
At least 5 years of experience in strategic sourcing, category management, procurement, or supplier management.
Strong knowledge of commercial negotiations, contract lifecycle management, supplier relationship management, and outsourcing models.
Excellent analytical, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree (MBA or related discipline).
CPSM, CIPS, or equivalent procurement certification.
Healthcare payer or managed care experience.
Experience using enterprise procurement platforms such as Workday, Coupa, or Ariba.
Knowledge of supplier governance, performance management, and outsourcing best practices.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute multi-year services category strategies aligned with enterprise objectives, balancing cost optimization, supplier innovation, risk management, operational resilience, and business growth.
Use enterprise procurement technologies, spend analytics, AI-enabled procurement capabilities, market intelligence, demand forecasting, digital insights, and benchmarking to guide category strategies, identify sourcing opportunities, and optimize total cost of ownership.
Evaluate outsourcing models, supplier capabilities, and emerging service providers; monitor category performance using financial, operational, supplier, and service delivery KPIs.
Lead end-to-end strategic sourcing initiatives with COE and Strategic Sourcing Specialists, including market analysis, RFx development, supplier evaluation, commercial negotiations, and contract award.
Develop sourcing strategies, evaluation methodologies, and commercial recommendations in partnership with Strategic Sourcing Specialists.
Lead cross-functional sourcing teams involving Legal, Finance, HR, Compliance, and business stakeholders.
Negotiate commercial terms that maximize enterprise value while managing financial, legal, operational, and supplier risks; ensure contracts support measurable business outcomes and ongoing supplier performance.
Build strategic supplier partnerships that support innovation, operational excellence, and continuous value creation.
Identify supplier opportunities involving new services, emerging technologies, process improvement, automation, digital capabilities, enhanced customer experience, and business value creation.
Lead supplier performance reviews using data-driven scorecards, SLAs, operational KPIs, and business outcomes; develop supplier improvement plans and corrective actions when expectations are not met.
Collaborate with business stakeholders and suppliers to improve service delivery and operational performance.
Serve as a trusted procurement advisor to business functions and align procurement strategies with enterprise priorities.
Partner with Operations leadership to understand current and future outsourcing requirements and support strategic business initiatives.
Collaborate with Finance, Legal, HR, Compliance, Procurement Operations, and Procurement COE teams, including Procurement Intelligence and Digital Transformation, to deliver integrated procurement solutions.
Promote procurement best practices, governance, stakeholder engagement, and change management throughout the procurement lifecycle.
Ensure procurement activities comply with enterprise procurement policies, delegated authority, regulatory requirements, and supplier governance standards.
Assess supplier, operational, financial, privacy, compliance, and business continuity risks and implement mitigation strategies.
Improve procurement processes, supplier governance, user experience, and digital adoption through automation, standardization, and best practices.
Support Internal Audit, Compliance, supplier assessments, and operational reviews as required.