Procurement Manager, IT & Cybersecurity (Category Lead)

NW Natural•Happy Valley, OR

157d•Hybrid

About The Position

At NW Natural, we are transforming Procurement into a strategic business partner that improves outcomes across the enterprise, through smarter sourcing, strong supplier partnerships, and disciplined spend management. We focus on measurable value: lower total cost of ownership, reduced risk, stronger service performance, and faster delivery for the business. As Procurement Manager, IT & Cybersecurity, you will lead a team of buyers and serve as the category leader for technology spend; software/SaaS, cloud, infrastructure, professional services, and cybersecurity. You will own category strategies and multi-year roadmaps, drive spend visibility and governance, and lead enterprise-level negotiations for complex agreements. Success in this role requires the ability to influence senior leaders across IT, Security, Finance, Legal, and business functions while delivering savings, risk reduction, and supplier performance improvements aligned to NW Natural’s priorities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree is highly preferred; advanced degree or professional certification is a plus.
Highly prefer 7+ years of people management experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management; technology categories (software/SaaS, cloud, IT services, cybersecurity).
Proven ability to lead teams in delivering measurable business outcomes.
Demonstrated success leading enterprise-level negotiations and contract renewals with major technology suppliers, including complex commercial structures and measurable outcomes (savings, risk reduction, performance).
Ability to influence and align senior stakeholders and drive category strategies end-to-end (market analysis, business case, sourcing, contracting, performance management, supplier governance), supported by tools such as SAP S/4HANA, Ariba, Fieldglass, process automation and spend analytics.

Nice To Haves

Business Acumen
Build Trust & Influences
Complex and Unstructured Problem Solving
Analytical Thinking
Intellectual Curiosity
Results Orientation
Learning Agility
Continous Improvement Mindset
Clear and Persuasive Communication

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop a team of buyers supporting a fast-paced IT & Cybersecurity portfolio; set clear goals, build capability, and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
Provide day-to-day direction, prioritization, and performance feedback; remove barriers and ensure the team delivers timely, compliant procurements that meet stakeholder expectations.
Develop and execute category strategies and sourcing roadmaps for IT hardware, software licensing, SaaS, cloud services, IT services/managed services, and cybersecurity solutions—balancing value, risk, resiliency, and speed.
Own IT spend management practices: analyze spend and consumption trends, identify consolidation and rationalization opportunities (especially across SaaS), and create governance models that improve compliance, budgeting accuracy, and contract utilization.
Lead enterprise-level negotiations for complex technology agreements (SaaS and software licensing, cloud, professional services, system integrators, and managed services), including commercial models, renewals, and multi-year commitments.
Partner with Legal, Security, Privacy, and Risk teams to embed strong protections in contracts (security and data privacy terms, third-party risk requirements, audit rights, SLAs/service credits, and regulatory compliance).
Build and manage strategic supplier relationships; establish performance expectations, run business reviews (QBRs), and drive continuous improvement and innovation with key technology partners.
Proactively manage escalations and resolve issues (performance, scope, pricing, renewals) with clear internal communication and effective vendor governance.
Support IT&S projects by aligning procurement timelines with project schedules and critical milestones.
Ensure sourcing decisions meet technical requirements and compliance standards.
Manage budgets, conduct cost analysis, and forecast for multi-million-dollar technology initiatives.
Apply total cost of ownership (TCO) and lifecycle costing principles to technology investments.
Ensure adherence to data privacy laws, cybersecurity regulations, and industry-specific compliance requirements.
Utilize ERP systems (e.g., SAP S/4HANA) and procurement platforms (e.g., SAP Ariba, Fieldglass).
Leverage analytics for spend visibility, supplier performance tracking, and risk assessment.
Partner with IT & Security senior leadership to shape demand and sourcing strategy; influence roadmaps, standards, and investment decisions through fact-based recommendations and clear options.
Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders by translating market insights and contract details into executive-ready recommendations; drive alignment across Finance, Legal, Risk, and technical teams.

Benefits

Rich health insurance benefits with competitive employer contribution
Free access to an online wellness resources platform
Up to 23 Vacation Days
80 Hours of Sick Time
10 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays
Flexible work arrangements
3 weeks paid parental leave
Green Team / Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council / Safety Team / Women’s Network and many other Employee Resource Groups
1500 sq foot exercise facility and secure bike room
Meaningful annual incentive bonus opportunity in addition to base salary
Competitive 401K company contribution and match
15% discount on NW Natural stock through Employee Stock Purchase Program
Up to $5250 a year in tuition reimbursement
Wellness incentive program
20% off natural gas service
Up to 30% discount at NW Natural Appliance Center
TriMet Pass for all HQ employees
Generous discounts with Verizon & AT&T Wireless