Procurement Category Manager - Technology

APEX Fintech Services•Chicago, IL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Apex Fintech Solutions (Apex) is seeking a Sourcing Category Manager to manage the technology category within its Procurement organization. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role responsible for managing vendor relationships and contract negotiations for SaaS, infrastructure, and IT operations. The role involves building partnerships with technology leaders, identifying savings opportunities, driving proactive contract renewals, establishing vendor management KPIs, and making data-driven recommendations for technology investments. The position will work with a small team utilizing AI-powered tools and modern procurement technology.

Requirements

Manage the technology category within our Procurement organization.
Manage vendor relationships and contract negotiations related to SaaS, infrastructure, and IT operations.
Build partnerships with technology leaders.
Engage proactively to identify savings opportunities.
Drive 90-day advance renewal engagement.
Establish vendor management KPIs.
Make data-driven recommendations that influence how Apex invests in technology.
Work alongside a small team that leverages AI-powered tools and modern procurement technology.

Nice To Haves

Experience with AI-powered tools and agents as part of daily workflow.

Responsibilities

Own the technology category end-to-end, including Software/SaaS, Hardware/Equipment, and IT-related professional services.
Lead competitive sourcing events, contract negotiations, and renewals.
Develop and execute category strategies that align vendor spend with Apex's technology roadmap.
Leverage benchmarking tools and market intelligence to validate pricing and identify cost optimization opportunities.
Drive 90-day advance engagement on technology renewals, assessing business needs, validating usage, modeling alternatives, and preparing negotiation strategies.
Manage a pipeline of technology renewals, prioritizing strategic and high-value contracts.
Identify rightsizing opportunities as business needs evolve.
Build trusted advisory relationships with Apex's technology leadership.
Lead biweekly category review meetings for Software and Market Data, and monthly for other technology subcategories.
Establish and run Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with Apex's top technology vendors.
Partner with InfoSec, FP&A, and Legal stakeholders throughout the sourcing and contracting lifecycle.
Contribute to the development of procurement KPIs, savings methodologies, and reporting cadences.
Use procurement data to demonstrate value delivered, including cost savings, cost avoidance, improved terms, and risk reduction.
Embrace AI-powered tools and agents in daily workflows for research, benchmarking, renewal preparation, and vendor intelligence.