Director, Sourcing & Strategic Initiatives

Ryan Specialty•Chicago, IL

2d•$160,000 - $200,000

About The Position

As a leader within Sourcing and Procurement, this role will develop and execute category management strategies for global indirect procurement sub-categories, including competitive sourcing and strategic negotiations. The position will be responsible for optimizing spend, strengthening supplier relationships, and enhancing both colleague and client experience—all while driving value and ensuring alignment with the firm’s objectives. The individual in this role will collaborate across teams to drive strategic procurement initiatives and foster long-term, high-value vendor partnerships.

Responsibilities

Category Management and Strategy Development : Develop and execute sourcing strategies for sub-categories within IT and Non-IT ensuring alignment with the broader business goals and objectives of Ryan Specialty. Identify opportunities for cost savings, risk mitigation, and process optimization within the sub-categories.
Strategic Sourcing : Competitively source through engagement of strategic suppliers (i.e., RFx) and application of industry knowledge. Ensure all sourcing projects have clear objectives including financial and operational benefits, aligned with business stakeholders.
Special Projects and Initiatives: Lead cross-functional projects within the Sourcing/Procurement function to address complex, high-impact challenges that support the organization’s strategic priorities. These initiatives will focus on business process design and improvement, risk mitigation, and ensuring compliance with corporate standards, while also identifying opportunities to add value for the firm.
Team Support & Development : Coach and mentor junior team members to help build a cohesive and high-performing team.
Stakeholder Collaboration : Collaborate with key internal stakeholders to understand business needs and create tailored sourcing strategies that deliver value across the firm.
Savings Identification & Tracking : Support and deliver annual savings within the sourcing function. Includes the identification of savings opportunities & valuation.
Negotiation & Contract Management : Support negotiations to ensure favorable contract terms that meet business requirements and assist with the execution of complex agreements and SLAs.
Drive Innovation : Contribute to sourcing initiatives that drive innovation, cost savings, and operational efficiency in line with the firm’s broader business strategies.
Risk & Compliance Management : Partner with these teams to ensure sourcing strategies and supplier relationships align with the firm's compliance requirements and risk management frameworks.