Category Specialist III

L.A. Care Health Plan•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

Established in 1997, L.A. Care Health Plan is an independent public agency created by the state of California to provide health coverage to low-income Los Angeles County residents. We are the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan. Serving more than 2 million members, we make sure our members get the right care at the right place at the right time. Mission: L.A. Care’s mission is to provide access to quality health care for Los Angeles County's vulnerable and low-income communities and residents and to support the safety net required to achieve that purpose. Job SummaryThe Category Specialist III is responsible for executing L.A. Care’s category management strategies across assigned spend categories and commodities, ensuring effective sourcing, vendor management, and delivery of cost and performance targets. This position partners with internal stakeholders to develop and implement sourcing strategies, manage key supplier relationships, and lead Request for x (RFx) events and contract execution in alignment with policy standards. The Category Specialist III acts as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), serves as a resource and mentor for other staff. This position drives vendor rationalization and process improvements, ensuring compliant, efficient, and value-driven procurement outcomes.

Requirements

At least 4 years of experience in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement or Contract Management, analyzing data in a financial and Legal context.
Extensive Ariba or similar experience.
Experience utilizing leading-edge analytics and research tools and technologies.
Experience in managing initial and ongoing Vendor Risk elements, including cyber.
Experience negotiating and managing supplier agreements for a wide variety of goods and services.
Excellent analytical, organizational, and presentation skills.
Ability to work cross-functionally to ensure compliance and applicability of Source-to-Pay process.
Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint and Excel.
Writing skills to include understanding of legal terminology and methodology.
Knowledge of public agencies.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including stakeholder management skills and the ability to collaborate and work with and lead cross-functional teams.
Ability to work across multiple projects and spend categories at the same time.

Responsibilities

Lead sourcing execution for assigned categories, including development of RFx events, supplier bid lists, cost/price analysis, negotiations, and contract finalization.
Drive vendor relationship management (VRM) by coordinating supplier meetings, reviewing performance scorecards, and supporting quarterly business reviews to ensure delivery against Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
Develop and implement sourcing strategies that align with organizational goals, identifying opportunities for cost savings, vendor consolidation, and process improvements.
Guide and mentor Category Specialists, providing direction on spend analysis, reporting, and sourcing preparation to ensure high-quality deliverables. Apply subject matter expertise in evaluating business operations and processes. Identify areas where technical solutions would improve business performance. Consult across business operations and contribute specialized knowledge. Ensure that the facts and details are correct so that the program's deliverable meets the needs of the department, organization and legislation's policies, standards, and best practices. Provide training and recommend process improvements as needed.
Ensure sourcing processes comply with company contracting standards by monitoring supplier performance, managing risk, and escalating potential issues as needed.
Support business transformation initiatives, including continuous improvement of Source-to-Pay processes, automation adoption, and policy streamlining.
Provide reporting and insights to key stakeholders, including tracking of realized savings, contract pipeline status, and supplier risk assessments.
Collaborate cross-functionally with internal stakeholders to ensure sourcing strategies are aligned with operational needs and compliant with organizational policies.
Perform other duties as assigned.