Sr. Category Manager (Indirect/Corporate)

The Nuclear Company•Washington, DC

7d•$151,000 - $176,000

About The Position

The Sr. Category Manager – Indirect/Corporate partners with functional leaders to develop and execute sourcing strategies across a portfolio of indirect spend categories that support corporate functions. Categories may include areas such as IT, professional services, marketing, workplace, and other corporate spend, and will adapt as organizational needs evolve. This role brings market insight, commercial expertise, and structured sourcing approaches to inform category strategies and support business objectives. In close collaboration with stakeholders across IT, HR, Finance, Legal, Facilities, and Marketing, the Category Manager helps translate business requirements into effective sourcing approaches. The Category Manager leads structured sourcing activities, advises on supplier selection and contract negotiations, and enables efficient, scalable purchasing channels and pathways. The Category Manager adapts their level of engagement based on business needs and category context, providing both hands-on sourcing support and advisory guidance to enable efficient, effective procurement outcomes in alignment with company policies and established category framework. This role is accountable for delivering measurable value, including cost savings, cost avoidance, and improved supplier performance. The role also contributes to supplier and contract management activities to drive value, manage risk, and maintain strong supplier partnerships. As part of a growing procurement function, the Category Manager contributes to building standardized, scalable processes and systems that enhance the purchasing experience and support the company’s continued growth, including ERP-enabled procurement capabilities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain, or a related field (equivalent experience can be taken into consideration)
7+ years of experience in procurement, sourcing, or category management, with a focus on indirect spend
Demonstrated experience leading end-to-end sourcing initiatives from strategy through execution
Strong negotiation and supplier management experience across multiple indirect categories (e.g., professional services, IT, marketing, workplace)
Experience partnering with cross-functional corporate stakeholders to support sourcing and purchasing decisions
Demonstrated ability to build strong, trust-based relationships and work effectively across diverse stakeholder groups
Demonstrated ability to influence decisions and drive alignment without direct authority
Familiarity with core procurement processes (e.g., requisitions, purchase orders, contracting, supplier onboarding)
Experience using ERP or procurement systems to support sourcing and purchasing activities
Ability to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting indirect categories such as IT, professional services, marketing, or workplace spend
Experience operating in a highly collaborative, matrixed environment with shared ownership of decisions
Experience leveraging GPOs and managing multi-supplier ecosystems
Exposure to high-growth or scaling organizations, with evolving processes and priorities
Experience balancing stakeholder needs with commercial outcomes in sourcing decisions
Familiarity with ERP-enabled procurement or guided buying environments

Responsibilities

Partner with business stakeholders to develop and evolve category strategies for assigned indirect spend areas, aligned to business priorities
Analyze spend, demand patterns, and supply markets to identify cost optimization and value creation opportunities
Provide recommendations on supplier strategies, including use of GPOs, strategic suppliers, and marketplace channels
Lead structured sourcing processes (RFPs, RFQs, supplier evaluations) in collaboration with stakeholders
Support and advise on commercial negotiations, pricing structures, and contract terms to achieve best value outcomes
Coordinate execution of sourcing initiatives, including contracting, onboarding, and implementation with stakeholders
Serve as a trusted procurement advisor to functional leaders (IT, HR, Finance, Legal, Facilities, Marketing, and Others)
Collaborate with stakeholders to shape sourcing approaches that align business needs with market capabilities
Adapt level of engagement based on stakeholder needs, ranging from advisory support to leading sourcing activities
Influence and guide adoption of preferred suppliers and purchasing channels and pathways through data, insights, and user-friendly processes
Support stakeholders in managing supplier relationships, performance expectations, and governance routines
Identify opportunities for supplier optimization, consolidation, and performance improvement
Partner with Legal and Finance to develop and maintain contracts, MSAs, and commercial frameworks
Design and implement efficient, user-friendly purchasing channels and pathways (e.g., GPOs, catalogs, punchouts, marketplaces)
Support alignment with procurement policies and controls while balancing business flexibility and speed
Maintain accurate supplier, contract, and purchasing data within procurement systems
Identify opportunities to improve procurement efficiency, reduce cycle times, and enhance stakeholder experience
Establish and track category performance metrics and value realization (e.g., savings, adoption, supplier performance)
Enable catalog-based and guided buying capabilities to streamline purchasing
Contribute to development of procurement standards, templates, and scalable best practices