Senior Category Manager, IT Software & Hardware

Waymo

3d•$190,000 - $234,000•Remote

About The Position

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company focused on building the Waymo Driver and expanding access to mobility. Its Procurement and Vendor Enablement Office supports the company’s growth by procuring critical infrastructure and technology. The Senior Category Manager, IT Software & Hardware supports the business by leading strategic sourcing and category management for software (SaaS and on-premises), end-user hardware, and IT professional services. The role partners closely with IT, Security, and Engineering to manage complex renewals, improve cost efficiency, and ensure the technology stack scales with the company’s growth. This is a U.S.-remote, full-time position, available to employees working from their primary residence in certain listed locations. Travel may be required up to 10%. The expected base salary range is $190,000–$234,000 USD, depending on job-related factors and work location. The role is also eligible for Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements.

Requirements

At least 7 years of strategic procurement experience, including at least 4 years dedicated to IT, software, or technology sourcing.
Deep expertise in SaaS licensing models, including consumption-based, per-seat, and enterprise agreements, and experience negotiating with Tier 1 software publishers.
Ability to draft and negotiate complex commercial contracts, including MSAs, EULAs, DPAs, and professional services SOWs.
Experience managing hardware lifecycles and negotiating with large VARs or OEMs.
Strong financial acumen and ability to present total cost of ownership analysis to Finance and Engineering leadership.
Ability to operate in a high-velocity environment while managing multiple concurrent high-priority renewals and sourcing events.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a hyper-growth technology or pre-IPO environment.
Familiarity with cloud infrastructure spend, including AWS and GCP, and FinOps principles.
Experience using Ariba P2P, e-sourcing, and spend analysis tools.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive Corporate IT procurement strategy covering SaaS, hardware, and telecom, balancing cost optimization with speed to market.
Proactively manage a high-volume software-renewal pipeline and negotiate mission-critical SaaS agreements to obtain favorable long-term commercial and legal terms.
Structure and negotiate complex Statements of Work for IT professional services and systems integrators to support successful software implementation and return on investment.
Optimize Value-Added Reseller relationships for end-user computers and peripherals, supporting competitive pricing and fulfillment logistics for a growing workforce.
Serve as a trusted advisor to the CIO, IT Operations, and Security leadership; lead make-versus-buy analyses and influence technical requirements to drive commercial value.
Partner with Legal, including Privacy and Security, to ensure software and hardware agreements meet Waymo’s data protection and cybersecurity standards.