Category Strategy Manager

Workday•Atlanta, GA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Workday is seeking a Category Strategy Manager on the Technology Sourcing Team in the Global Procurement Office (GPO). This person will be responsible for developing and executing Software category strategies that deliver value and align with Workday’s business objectives. This person will be key in creating innovative cost savings ideas at the enterprise level. Additionally, this role focuses on building and managing strong relationships with the top strategic suppliers to ensure they are aligned with Workday’s business requirements and goals.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Finance or related degree
8+ years of experience in category management, procurement, supply chain management, strategy management, or consulting.
Sourcing and Procurement - ability to identify, evaluate, and acquire goods or services from external sources in a cost-effective and efficient manner, involving understanding market trends, supplier performance, supply chain management, negotiation tactics, contracts, and quality assurance
Sourcing Strategies - the implementation of methods to manage procurement processes effectively, involves understanding the supply market/market analysis, cost modeling/assessing total cost of ownership, performance monitoring, risk management, and negotiation tactics
Supplier Relationship Management - ability to develop and manage strong partnerships with vendors that supply goods, materials, and services, while understanding procurement strategies, supplier performance monitoring, and risk management, ensuring alignment with business needs and fostering collaboration for mutual success, involves fostering effective communication and collaboration with suppliers to streamline processes, improve supplier performance, reduce procurement costs, and ensure a steady supply of high-quality goods/services.
Relationship Building - ability to establish and nurture strong connections with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to collaborate effectively by understanding interpersonal dynamics, effective communication strategies, empathy, and the ability to manage conflicts or disagreements
Results-Oriented - ability to focus on the desired outcome of a project or task, while setting clear goals and prioritizing tasks to achieve the desired outcome and consistently monitoring progress to ensure that the goals are being met
Analytical Thinking - breaking down complex information or identifying trends and insights for better understanding, decision making, and complex problem-solving
Business Strategies - ability to develop, communicate, and implement comprehensive plans of action to achieve long-term goals and objectives, understanding market trends, stakeholder analysis, financial planning, risk management, applying strategic thinking to make strategic decisions based on these factors
Program Management - ability to coordinate and manage multiple projects to achieve a set of business objectives, involving strategic alignment, stakeholder management, benefits realization, governance, and risk management, enabling the successful delivery of complex initiatives, efficient use of resources, and the realization of strategic objectives through the effective management of interdependencies, risks, and potential benefits
Strategic Planning - ability to envision a desired future, translate this vision into broadly defined goals or objectives and a sequence of steps to achieve them, involving understanding the mission, vision, and values, conducting SWOT analysis, setting strategic goals, developing plans to achieve those goals, and measuring progress

Nice To Haves

A proven track record of managing large-scale programs from ideation to execution and keeping diverse stakeholders engaged and aligned.
Deep experience and interest in the Software/SaaS landscape, including an understanding of Software Lifecycle Management (SLM) and deployment models.
Ability to drive software rationalization initiatives — identifying overlapping functionalities across the enterprise and developing strategies to consolidate and optimize the software portfolio.
Ability to translate, analyze and create solutions from advanced financial modeling and data analysis
Experience managing sourcing programs, conducting market research, and applying category management concepts to drive value.
Proficient understanding of contracts and experience developing negotiation strategies for complex, high-value agreements.
Experience conducting supplier business reviews and managing strategic partnerships to ensure long-term alignment.
Proficient at standard Sourcing and Category Management concepts, practices, and procedures

Responsibilities

Create and execute comprehensive global category strategies that align with business goals and drive value delivery within the category
Communicate category strategies to operational teams to ensure alignment and effective implementation
Develop enterprise-wide, large category initiatives focused on value creation, savings, or sourcing process improvements
Establish and nurture strong relationships with top suppliers, ensuring alignment with business needs and fostering collaboration for mutual success; Identify, qualify and formalize which suppliers should be aligned with preferred supplier status based on segmentation modeling.
Conduct regular SBRs and JBP sessions with top suppliers within assigned categories
Manage initiatives tied to category and supplier plans in partnership with other S2P teams and Supplier Management
Conduct thorough market analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and risks within the category, and adjust strategies accordingly
Track and analyze category performance metrics, providing regular reports and insights to various stakeholders
Identify cost-saving opportunities and negotiate favorable terms with suppliers to optimize category spend
Work closely with internal stakeholders, including procurement, finance, and business stakeholders, to ensure category strategies are effectively implemented and supported
Identify and mitigate risks associated with the category, ensuring continuity of supply and compliance with company policies and regulations
Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the category, leveraging supplier capabilities and market innovations to enhance value delivery