Senior Category Manager

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina • Wyoming, MI

9d • $89,174 - $142,679 • Hybrid

About The Position

As the Senior Category Manager, you will lead sourcing and vendor governance activities for assigned IT categories, including hardware, software, and services. This role focuses on reducing total cost of ownership through effective sourcing strategies, tools, and processes while mitigating risk through strong vendor governance. You will partner with third-party vendors, business owners, and the Corporate Services Vendor Contracting team to prepare, analyze, and negotiate vendor contracts. You will also support business owners across functional areas in vendor selection and ensure vendor obligations are documented in alignment with business requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or advanced degree (where required)
• 5+ years of experience in related field
• In lieu of degree, 7+ years of experience in related field

Nice To Haves

• Experience sourcing and negotiating IT contracts including hardware, software, and services
• Experience with telecom and networking contracts
• Experience procuring hardware and software through Value Added Resellers
• Experience working in an IT department

Responsibilities

• Establish sourcing strategies for an assigned category(ies) in conjunction with internal stakeholders and their associated business strategy. This position will primarily focus on IT Hardware but will also be involved in sourcing Software and Services as appropriate.
• Conduct sourcing events, including development of project work plan, category profile, category strategy, minimum requirements and evaluation criteria, solicitation
• Develop and implement assorted bid documents and requests (i.e. RFP, RFI, RFQ); and manage status reporting and performance metrics of sourcing and category management activities.
• Understand, analyze and forecast complex market and industry dynamics and share subject matter expertise and industry knowledge within the established portfolio of products and services.
• Partner with stakeholders to source products and services using proven tools, processes, and analytics to drive and achieve business results.
• Evaluate analyses of sourcing results from a total cost of ownership perspective and provide optimization recommendations
• Participate in cross-functional teams responsible for complex vendor negotiations, including those that require specialized subject matter expertise, nonstandard risk mitigation solutions, and coordination of multiple arrangements.
• Review and lead supplier relationship management and performance within an assigned category
• Proactively establish and foster successful, positive working relationships with vendor personnel.
• Drive vendor engagement through formal and informal transactions.
• Engage stakeholders to implement and execute vendor relationship management plan.
• Coordinate and host vendor business reviews
• Develop, track and manage yearly vendor plans for assigned vendors within the assigned category(ies) and ensure vendor compliance.
• Coordinate vendor risk assessments and develop plans to track and address significant risks.
• Serve as an escalation point for the business in resolving vendor contractual issues. issue resolution.
• Manage contracts and collaborate effectively with Corporate Compliance, Legal, Audit and Risk Management and other internal stakeholders for compliance activities to ensure regulatory conditions are met.
• Develop new procedures, training, initiatives, specifications and recommendations for process or policy changes and improvements, as appropriate.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage along with numerous health and wellness programs.
• Parental leave and support plus adoption and surrogacy assistance.
• Career development programs and tuition reimbursement for continued education.
• 401k match including an annual company contribution.

What This Job Offers

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