Sr. Director, Analyst - Public Cloud Sourcing Expert Focus (Remote: US)

Gartner

11d • Remote

About The Position

Gartner Analysts are industry thought leaders who create must-have insights, market predictions and best practices for a broad range of world-leading organizations. A Senior Director serves as a leader within Gartner’s Business and Technology Insights (BTI) group, establishing oneself as a credible voice within their designated market at local, regional and global levels. Utilizing exceptional research and analytical skills, a Senior Director plays a significant role in producing pragmatic and provocative insights which Gartner clients consume and apply to propel their business toward key objectives. They are a trusted source of advice for clients, reinforcing Gartner’s value every day by engaging them via in-person meetings, virtual meetings, sales support visits and Gartner conferences to discuss complex client challenges and offer appropriate recommendations. A Senior Director possesses a keen eye for identifying gaps, problems and solutions within the market they serve. They use their knowledge to help clients make better decisions, solve complex issues and execute new practices that propel clients’ businesses toward key objectives and publish these pragmatic and/or provocative insights. Additionally, they reinforce Gartner’s value every day by engaging clients via in-person and virtual meetings, sales support visits, Gartner conferences and industry events. Gartner seeks a Senior Director Analyst to provide Business and Technology Insights services to global clients in Sourcing, Procurement, and Vendor Management. The role will focus on public cloud optimization and transformation services (PCOTS), requiring knowledge and experience in sourcing Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure Cloud, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure services. You will leverage your extensive industry experience to guide clients through their buying journeys for complex IT services, helping them navigate evolving cloud strategies, optimize costs, and achieve transformational business outcomes. In addition to the knowledge specific to the cloud market, this position requires experience in sourcing other IT infrastructure services, such as data center outsourcing, managed security services, and digital workplace services. Additional data and analytics experience and sourcing application services would be a plus. The candidate will advise Gartner clients on negotiating and administering high-value, multiyear contracts with key cloud vendors such as AWS, Azure, Oracle, and other IT Infrastructure services. This involves leveraging a data-driven approach, combining forecasts derived from internal usage metrics with market intelligence, to secure favorable pricing, flexible commitment terms, and robust service level agreements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in business administration, supply chain management, computer science, or a related field is required; a master’s degree is preferred
• 12+ years of relevant field or industry experience gained either through a sourcing role or within a provider tendering and negotiating the delivery of IT services is required.
• At least three years of direct experience in IT procurement or strategic sourcing—specifically involving cloud contracts with hyperscale vendors like AWS and enterprise software vendors like Oracle—is also necessary.
• Negotiation Track Record: Proven experience negotiating high-value public cloud contracts, demonstrating success in leveraging competitive bidding and cost optimization strategies
• Domain Knowledge: Deep knowledge of public cloud optimization and transformation services (PCOTS) is essential, including experience with cloud-native professional and managed services and utilization of hyperscale cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI).
• Demonstrate executive presence; can immediately establish credibility with executives and additional stakeholders
• Strong organizational skills; ability to work under tight deadlines and produce high quality deliverables
• Demonstrate excellence in research and writing ability
• Strong written and verbal proficiency, analytical and presentation skills; ability to engage clients and respond effectively to questions
• Proficient in analyzing and synthesizing data; can effectively apply patterns and frameworks while drawing and defending conclusions to client challenges
• Strong communicator who is able to explain complex concepts concisely and simply
• Subject matter expert comfortable presenting at large and small-scale speaking engagements
• Strong business and financial acumen
• Deep knowledge of the global and competitive landscape within subject area as well as the interplay in that market
• Ability to work independently, while also being intrinsically motivated to collaborate across teams and support the workflow of others, in a multicultural global team
• Learning agile and adept with navigating highly matrixed environments
• Ability to represent Gartner's research methodology and strategies effectively at all levels
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% (where applicable)

Nice To Haves

• Oracle workload expertise (e.g., PeopleSoft, JD Edwards, E-Business Suite) is preferred.
• Additional data and analytics experience and sourcing application services would be a plus.

Responsibilities

• Create innovative, thought provoking, and highly leveraged “must-have” insights o help sourcing and CxO clients achieve required business outcomes from Outsourced IT Services
• Develop new insights and ideas through thought leadership and offer compelling, actionable approaches to client's needs and requests that accelerate the client's ability to act
• Develop in-depth analysis to identify the root cause of a client’s barriers or overall needs and reframe thinking to drive strategy forward
• Demonstrate thought leadership in establishing insights positions across a team of analysts
• Bring provocative, independent insights to Gartner leaders that can evolve the course of a research agenda
• Research, analyze and predict market trends and shifts to provide clients and vendors with actionable insights
• Provide clients and prospects with actionable advice aligned to their designated content area via virtual or face-to-face interactions
• Guide clients in selecting providers for application-led, cloud-native transformation projects and ongoing public cloud managed services.
• Advise Gartner clients on leading end-to-end sourcing projects for public cloud services.
• Formulate and implement comprehensive sourcing strategies focused on public cloud services, identifying best-fit solutions among cloud providers.
• Advise clients on leading negotiations for multiyear contracts, ensuring favorable pricing, volume discounts, flexible commitment terms, and optimal service level agreements (SLAs).
• Advise clients on negotiating optimal contract terms, focusing on cost optimization, vendor performance, and risk mitigation.
• Identify and address contractual risks such as overly rigid renewal terms, audit clauses, and unfavorable escalation of support fees.
• Support clients by reviewing client contracts for Outsourced IT Services, identifying gaps in the commercial terms or SLAs.
• Continuously monitor trends in cloud service pricing, vendor discount programs, and contractual terms, using data sources and benchmark pricing information to drive negotiations.
• Create and deliver high value presentation materials on and off stage for Gartner events, industry and professional association conferences, and client briefings
• Provide sales support serving as voice of the market to help Insights teams create content and to drive engagement with clients to make progress against their critical priorities to grow their business
• Provide high quality and timely content peer review
• Build credibility as an industry expert to represent Gartner insights, methodology and strategy
• Actively participate in innovation, ideation, and research discussions and collaborate effectively with peers in the Insights community
• Identify research process improvements or develop new processes that help the team and BTI provide excellent service delivery
• Be a mentor and a coach by supporting more junior team members
• Be client-centric while actively seeking to help clients engage regularly and often with Gartner insights and interactions

Benefits

• Gartner offers world-class benefits, highly competitive compensation and disproportionate rewards for top performers.
• In our hybrid work environment, we provide the flexibility and support for you to thrive — working virtually when it's productive to do so and getting together with colleagues in a vibrant community that is purposeful, engaging and inspiring.
• Gartner believes in fair and equitable pay. A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is 172,000 USD - 202,500 USD.
• In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, or a role-based, uncapped sales incentive plan.
• We also offer market leading benefit programs including generous PTO, a 401k match up to $7,200 per year, the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount, and more.

What This Job Offers

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