Senior Category Manager - Procurement

Fairfield Residential•Washington, DC

4d•$130,000 - $160,000•Remote

About The Position

Fairfield is hiring a Senior Category Manager to join its growing Procurement function. The role owns category management across construction materials, finishes, renovation, and recurring property services, nationally and regionally. The manager leads categories end to end, from market analysis and sourcing strategy through negotiation, contracting, supplier performance, and renewal. They partner with operating teams and use data and technology to improve sourcing decisions and procurement processes. The position reports to the Director of Procurement and is remote for candidates in the Eastern or Central Time Zone who reside in a state where Fairfield is established to employ remote associates. Occasional U.S. travel to suppliers, job sites, and properties may be required. The Senior Category Manager develops strategies based on spend, specifications, market evidence, and business requirements; assesses value across savings, cost avoidance, leverage, efficiency, risk, visibility, and supplier capability; and manages contract terms and renewal calendars. The role negotiates with manufacturers, distributors, installers, and service providers, selects suitable commercial models, and leads strategic, tactical, operational, and global sourcing. It also develops supplier strategies, manages supplier performance and supply risk, and oversees supplier mobilization, transition, and exit. The role uses AI-enabled tools and analytics for research, should-cost analysis, negotiation preparation, and contract review; builds reusable templates, standards, and playbooks; and mentors colleagues, potentially leading a small team while remaining actively involved in negotiations. Procurement results are measured and validated with Finance. The estimated annual base salary range is $130,000–$160,000; actual offers may vary based on skills, education, experience, location, and job complexity.

Requirements

At least 8 years of procurement experience, most of it in hands-on sourcing.
Proven negotiation experience and results.
Experience with category management, strategic sourcing, and procurement best practices.
Experience with strategic, tactical, operational, and global sourcing.
Supplier-development experience focused on capability and performance, not only price.
Hands-on analytical skills and technology aptitude, including experience using AI and agents to work more effectively.
Ability to evaluate holistic value, including savings, leverage, speed, risk, visibility, and capability, rather than price alone.
Knowledge and experience with national and regional agreements, including rebates.
Contract literacy and contract-management experience.
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Finance, Construction Management, Economics, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and progressively responsible procurement experience.
Ability to translate spend, business requirements, and supply-market information into category strategies and sourcing priorities.
Ability to prepare for and lead complex supplier negotiations using market data, cost drivers, leverage, alternatives, and planned concessions.
Ability to evaluate supplier proposals based on total value, including cost savings and avoidance, rebates, efficiency, risk, service, contract terms, and long-term business impact.
Ability to manage supplier expectations and performance and address performance problems.
Ability to identify supply interruptions, capacity limitations, long-lead items, and supplier dependencies and develop mitigation strategies.
Ability to work effectively with operating teams and business partners to understand needs, set priorities, evaluate alternatives, and align on sourcing decisions.

Nice To Haves

CPSM, CIPS, or CSCP certification.
Experience in multifamily, homebuilding, construction, or property management.
Experience leading or mentoring a small team.

Responsibilities

Build category strategies using spend, specifications, market evidence, business requirements, and supply-market information.
Assess category value across savings, cost avoidance, leverage, efficiency, risk, spend visibility, and supplier capability.
Partner with operating teams on new products, value engineering, priorities, and sourcing sequence.
Manage contract terms and renewal calendars; maintain effective commercial coverage and reduce avoidable expirations, unmanaged renewals, and value leakage.
Negotiate directly with manufacturers, distributors, installers, and service providers.
Select appropriate commercial models, including negotiated pricing, direct buy, and rebate arrangements.
Build rebate and value-back programs in coordination with Legal and Compliance.
Lead strategic, tactical, operational, and global sourcing, and advance national and regional negotiations.
Maintain qualified, insured, and credentialed supplier bases and bid lists.
Develop supplier capability, monitor performance, and drive continuous improvement in cost, quality, service, responsiveness, compliance, and continuity.
Manage supply risk through measures such as dual sourcing, long-lead planning, and continuity planning.
Lead supplier mobilization, transition, performance monitoring, and exit.
Use AI, agents, analytics, Power BI, Fabric, Microsoft Copilot, and other AI-enabled tools for research, spend and market analysis, should-cost analysis, negotiation preparation, contract review, and repetitive-work automation.
Work with operating teams to improve how categories are purchased and apply technology to repetitive tasks.
Create templates, standards, and playbooks for repeatable sourcing and category-management practices.
Mentor colleagues and potentially lead a small team while remaining actively involved in negotiations.
Document procurement outcomes against established baselines and track implementation; ensure results are validated with Finance.
Maintain current, evidence-based category strategies and update them as business or market conditions change.