IS Service Manager, Software Asset & License Management

ABB•Cleveland, NC

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

At ABB , we help industries run leaner and cleaner—and every person here makes that happen. You’ll be empowered to lead, supported to grow, and proud of the impact we create together. Join us and help run what runs the world. This position reports to: ELIP CIO & US Country IS Manager __ The Software Asset Manager (SAM) is a strategic role within the Country Information Systems (IS) organization responsible for governing the full lifecycle of software assets across the enterprise. This position leads software license strategy, cost optimization, vendor alignment, and compliance management to ensure the organization maximizes value from software investments while minimizing risk. The role combines financial stewardship, vendor negotiation support, and operational governance to deliver transparency, efficiency, and control over the country’s software portfolio. The Software Asset Manager partners closely with IS Domain Delivery Managers, Procurement, Finance, Security, Architecture, and Business leaders to enable compliant, cost-effective, and scalable technology solutions. The work model for the role is: Hybrid in Cleveland OH, Cary NC, Fort Smith AK

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Business, Finance, or related field
8+ years experience in Software Asset Management, IT Asset Management, or technology financial management
Strong knowledge of software licensing models and contract structures
Experience managing major vendors (e.g., Microsoft, Oracle, Adobe, SAP, SaaS providers, cloud platforms)
Demonstrated success driving cost savings and optimization initiatives
Experience preparing for and managing software audits
Strong analytical, financial, and negotiation skills
Ability to translate technical and licensing concepts into business impact

Nice To Haves

Experience within a country or regional IS/IT organization
Familiarity with SAM/ITAM tools (ServiceNow SAM, Flexera, Snow, etc.)
Knowledge of cloud licensing (Azure/AWS/GCP consumption models)
Certifications such as: CSAM ITIL IAITAM (CHAMP/CSAM)
SAM or ITAM tool certifications
Experience working cross-functionally with Procurement and Finance

Responsibilities

Implement the country’s Software Asset Management (SAM) strategy, policies, and standards aligned with global Divisions and Business Areas
Deploy established governance frameworks for software acquisition, deployment, usage, and retirement – aligned to the existing software ordering processes
Create visibility into software spend, utilization, and risk across the estate
Align software portfolio decisions with business and IS strategy, including support for all M&A transactions that require license management activity
Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of software assets: request, procurement, deployment, maintenance, renewal, and retirement
Validate and ensure accurate license entitlement and consumption reporting
Support software rationalization and optimization initiatives
Facilitate redundant or underutilized software to reduce cost and complexity
Provide software budget transparency and cost tracking
Identify savings opportunities through license optimization, right-sizing, and contract consolidation
Support forecasting and budgeting of software renewals and true-ups/true-downs
Develop total cost of ownership (TCO) models and ROI analysis
Serve as primary IS point of contact for key software vendors and publishers
Provide licensing expertise during negotiations, renewals, and enterprise agreements
Interpret and advise on complex licensing models (subscription, SaaS, consumption, perpetual, hybrid)
Partner with Procurement to optimize contract terms and pricing
Ensure compliance with vendor licensing terms and regulatory requirements
Lead internal license audits and readiness for external vendor audits, aligned with global SAM team
Mitigate legal and financial exposure related to non-compliance
Establish controls and reporting to proactively manage risk
Leverage SAM/ITAM tools to track inventory, usage, and entitlements
Develop dashboards and KPIs for software spend, compliance posture, and optimization progress
Provide regular reporting to IS and business leadership
Collaborate with Infrastructure, Security, Architecture, and Application teams to standardize software usage
Advise project teams on licensing implications during solution design
Educate stakeholders on licensing best practices and cost accountability

Benefits

Health, Life & Disability
Choice between two medical plan options: A PPO plan called the Copay Plan OR a High Deductible Health Plan (with a Health Savings Account) called the High Deductible Plan.
Choice between two dental plan options: Core and Core Plus
Vision benefit
Company paid life insurance (2X base pay)
Company paid AD&D (1X base pay)
Voluntary life and AD&D – 100% employee paid up to maximums
Short Term Disability – up to 26 weeks – Company paid
Long Term Disability – 60% of pay – Company paid.
Ability to “buy-up” to 66 2/3% of pay.
Supplemental benefits – 100% employee paid (Accident insurance, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance
Parental Leave – up to 6 weeks
Employee Assistance Program
Health Advocate support resources for mental/behavioral health, general health navigation and virtual health, and infertility/adoption
Employee discount program
Retirement
401k Savings Plan with Company Contributions
Employee Stock Acquisition Plan (ESAP)
Time off
ABB provides 11 paid holidays.
Salaried exempt positions are provided vacation under a permissive time away policy.