Director, Strategic Sourcing - Technology

Vertex Inc. • Boston, MA

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

As a key leader in the Strategic Sourcing function, the Director, Data, Technology & Engineering (DTE) is responsible for enabling enterprise value delivery through the development and execution of global category strategies, strategic supplier partnerships, and advanced commercial outcomes that directly support the company’s digital and AI-driven transformation vision. This role delivers strategic, scalable, and future-ready sourcing solutions across software, cloud, data platforms, AI/ML capabilities, digital engineering, and technology-enabled services, with a focus on accelerating innovation, speed-to-value, and enterprise capability building in support of next-generation data and technology priorities. This leader plays a critical role in shaping and advancing the sourcing strategy and supplier ecosystem that underpin the organization’s DTE transformation agenda, ensuring external partnerships are leveraged to inform, enable, and scale digital and AI abilities. In close partnership with the SVP of DTE and other DTE senior leaders, the Director will proactively influence technology investment decisions, operating models, and partner strategies to enable transformative outcomes. The role is accountable for optimizing external spend, elevating supplier performance, and unlocking innovation through strategic partnerships, while balancing enterprise priorities including speed, quality, risk management, and total cost of ownership. As a trusted advisor, this individual brings market insight and commercial perspective to help shape solution design, demand strategies, and make vs. buy decisions that accelerate transformation. The ideal candidate is a forward-thinking leader with deep expertise in technology sourcing and a strong understanding of digital, data, and AI ecosystems, combined with advanced commercial acumen and a demonstrated ability to structure and negotiate complex, transformation-oriented agreements. This individual will lead and develop a team of sourcing professionals and elevate the function from transactional execution to a strategic, insight-driven partner that actively informs and enables the company’s digital and AI transformation at scale.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Technology, or related field (MBA or advanced degree preferred).
• 10+ years of progressive experience in procurement, supply chain, or technology-enablement roles, with at least 5 years in leadership.
• Deep expertise in developing and leading multi-year, global category strategies across complex spend areas, with the ability to integrate market intelligence, supplier capabilities, and business priorities into actionable strategies that drive enterprise value.
• Demonstrated ability to operate as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders (e.g., CIO, CTO, SVP-level leaders), shaping business strategies, influencing demand, and aligning sourcing approaches to transformation objectives.
• Expertise in structuring and negotiating complex, enterprise-level agreements, including software, cloud, and services-based models; ability to design innovative, value-based commercial approaches aligned to business outcomes.
• Proven ability to design and manage strategic supplier ecosystems, including development of high-impact partnerships, executive governance models, and performance management frameworks that drive innovation and accountability.
• Experience enabling enterprise transformation initiatives through sourcing, including supporting new operating models, digital capabilities, and scalable external partnerships; ability to balance innovation, speed, and risk.
• Strong understanding of technology sourcing categories, including enterprise software, cloud platforms, data and analytics, and engineering services, as well as underlying commercial constructs and cost drivers.
• Advanced analytical capabilities, including the ability to leverage data, benchmarking, and market intelligence to inform strategies, quantify value, and support executive decision-making.
• Strong knowledge of Source-to-Pay (S2P) processes, procurement technologies, and digital tools, with the ability to leverage these capabilities to enhance sourcing effectiveness and transparency.
• Strong understanding of contracting principles, risk management frameworks, and regulatory considerations.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop high-performing teams, while establishing clear priorities, accountability, and a culture of continuous improvement and strategic thinking.
• Expert communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex ideas, influence senior stakeholders, and lead cross-functional alignment in a global, matrixed environment.
• Ability to lead cross-functional, enterprise-wide initiatives, manage competing priorities, and drive change in a dynamic, transformation-oriented environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted thought partner to the SVP of DTE and other DTE senior leaders, aligning sourcing strategies to the enterprise DTE transformation vision and roadmap.
• Proactively shape and influence technology investment strategies, operating models, and partner selection decisions to enable transformative outcomes.
• Translate evolving DTE priorities (e.g., digital, data, AI/ML, engineering transformation) into forward-looking sourcing strategies and supplier ecosystem design.
• Embed Strategic Sourcing as a core enabler of transformation, shifting engagement upstream into strategy development versus downstream execution.
• Define and lead multi-year, transformation-aligned category strategies across DTE spend areas, integrating innovation, scalability, and speed-to-value.
• Identify and utilize non-traditional value levers, including innovation access, capability building, speed acceleration, and risk reduction—beyond cost savings.
• Leverage deep market intelligence to position suppliers as strategic enablers of transformation.
• Establish KPIs that reflect business impact (e.g., time-to-deploy, innovation outcomes, platform scalability) in addition to financial metrics.
• Lead high-impact, complex sourcing initiatives that enable transformation programs, including cloud modernization, data platforms, and digital engineering.
• Design and negotiate innovative commercial models (e.g., outcome-based, consumption-based, co-investment, and partnership models) aligned to transformation goals.
• Move beyond traditional RFx approaches by deploying flexible, partnership-oriented sourcing strategies that prioritize capability, speed, and long-term value.
• Provide executive oversight on deal strategy, ensuring alignment with enterprise transformation objectives and risk tolerance.
• Design and operationalize a strategic partner ecosystem aligned to DTE transformation priorities, including global cloud providers, platform providers, and technology engineering partners.
• Establish deep, executive-level partnerships focused on co-innovation, roadmap alignment, and joint value creation.
• Lead governance models that enable continuous innovation, performance transparency, and strategic alignment with key suppliers.
• Drive intentional supplier consolidation and elevation, focusing on fewer, higher-impact strategic partners.
• Act as a strategic thought-partner to DTE leadership, influencing demand, solution design, and sourcing approaches to maximize enterprise outcomes.
• Partner with stakeholders to reframe requirements from specifications to outcomes, enabling more innovative and flexible supplier solutions.
• Support make-versus-buy and build-versus-partner decisions in the context of long-term transformation goals.
• Ensure procurement is embedded in key transformation programs, investment decisions, and governance forums.
• Balance innovation and speed with robust risk management, ensuring alignment with cybersecurity, data privacy, and third-party risk frameworks.
• Embed risk considerations into strategic partner selection and commercial models, particularly for emerging technologies and new delivery models.
• Establish governance mechanisms that support agility while maintaining compliance and control.
• Lead, develop, and elevate a team of sourcing professionals to operate as strategic advisors and category leaders, setting clear expectations for performance, accountability, and impact aligned to the DTE transformation agenda.
• Define and drive capability development priorities across the team, including advanced commercial acumen, technology domain expertise (cloud, data, AI/ML, engineering), and executive stakeholder engagement, ensuring the team can effectively support complex, transformation-oriented initiatives.
• Establish clear prioritization frameworks and resource allocation models to focus team efforts on the highest-value transformation-critical initiatives, balancing speed, capacity, and business impact across a dynamic portfolio of work.
• Implement scalable tools, playbooks, and standardized ways of working that enable consistent, high-quality category management and sourcing execution across DTE, while allowing flexibility for strategic, partnership-driven engagements.
• Actively coach and mentor team members, providing hand-on guidance in strategy development, deal structuring, and stakeholder management to accelerate individual growth and elevate overall team performance.
• Foster a high-performance culture grounded in innovation, agility, and continuous learning, embedding data-driven decision making, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement as core ways of working.
• Define and track KPIs that measure transformation impact, including innovation enablement, speed-to-market, and partner performance.
• Deliver measurable outcomes across the value creation continuum (e.g. cost, supplier innovation, and stakeholder satisfaction).
• Continuously refine sourcing strategies and supplier models to align with evolving transformation priorities.

Benefits

• medical, dental and vision benefits
• generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter)
• educational assistance programs including student loan repayment
• a generous commuting subsidy
• matching charitable donations
• 401(k)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director