Senior Manager, Category Manager, Information Technology

Who we are...Verra Mobility is a global leader in smart mobility. We develop technology-enabled solutions that help the world move safely and easily. We are fostering the development of safe cities, working with police departments and municipalities to install over 4,000 red-light, speed, and school bus stop arm safety cameras across North America. We are also creating smart roadways, serving the world's largest commercial fleets and rental car companies to manage tolling transactions and violations for over 8.5 million vehicles. And we are a leading provider of connected systems, processing nearly 165 million transactions each year across 50+ individual tolling authorities.Culture Verra Mobility Corporation is a dynamic, entrepreneurial company that operates with a people-first philosophy and approach. The company lives by its core values - Do What's Right, Choose Courage over Comfort, Win Together, and Own It - in everything it does for its customers and team members. The company seeks to grow, both organically and through acquisition, to continue to be the undisputed market leader with a bias for action, customer focus, teamwork, drive for results, and commitment to excellence.Position Overview:Owns a complex, high‑spend IT category (or portfolio) with global scope and enterprise impact.Influences IT leaders and enterprise technology roadmaps; presents recommendations and status at leadership forums.Supports enterprise digital transformation initiatives through sourcing and contracting strategies aligned to cybersecurity, infrastructure modernization, cloud adoption, AI enablement, and operational scalability.Leads cross‑functional project teams and external partners to deliver multi‑year roadmaps and operating model changes.Primary procurement voice with senior/executive stakeholders; presents at executive committees.Shapes policy, standards, and governance; mentors and develops the category talent bench.Ensures category plans reflect stakeholder goals, market dynamics, and supplier capabilitiesChampions adoption of preferred suppliers, standards, and policies across the business.Leverages analysis to shape strategic insights and market intelligence frameworks that inform category strategy, RFx prioritization, supplier negotiations, and contract termsScrutinizes variable and complex data to identify and prioritize sourcing and planning opportunities that drive competitive advantage and long-term valueLeads sourcing waves and supplier business reviews; accountable for savings and value realization.Key ResponsibilitiesEnterprise Strategy & Value Creation Craft and socialize a bold, evidence‑based multi‑year category strategy tied to enterprise goals (growth, productivity, risk, ESG) in key IT spend domains including:Software and SaaSCloud Infrastructure (IaaS/PaaS)Telecommunications and networkingManaged services and outsourcingCybersecurityEnd-user computing and hardwareEnterprise applications and platformsDrive optimization initiatives related to software license utilization, cloud consumption, vendor consolidation, application rationalization, and enterprise standards adoption.Identify and deliver step‑change value levers (portfolio simplification, demand challenge, supplier ecosystem redesign, digital automation).Stand up structured value tracking with Finance; validate and publish results to executives.Build and maintain a living category strategy (demand, market, supplier, risk, and should-cost).Translate strategy into an annual sourcing wave plan and prioritized contract pipeline with mitigation actions for expirations/renewals.Owns data quality across procurement systems (e.g., sourcing, CLM, P2P) and audit readiness recordsReviews and performs analytics and market research that inform strategic planning decisions, RFx, negotiation prep, and category directionManage intake queue; validate requirements; set expectations on timelines and next stepsMaintain project trackers, savings logs, contract records, and supplier profiles for audit readinessCreate, refresh, publish, and communicate preferred supplier lists and engagement playbooksCritical Sourcing & Complex NegotiationExperience negotiating with global technology suppliers such as Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, SAP, AWS, ServiceNow, Cisco, and primary technology resellers.Conduct in-depth market analysis to inform RFx development, supplier negotiations, and contract termsIdentify and prioritize sourcing opportunities that drive competitive advantage and long-term valueOwn and drive marquee RFx/sole‑source events and renewals with enterprise‑wide implications; negotiate creative commercial constructs (risk‑share, outcome‑based, gainshare).Oversee and/or perform total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis to sourcing decisions and supplier evaluationsSet deal architectures and negotiation plays; coach deal teams; engage executive sponsors and legal counsel to closure.Establish playbooks and guardrails for rebid/renewal strategies, indexation, benchmarking, and continuous improvement.Demonstrated ability to negotiate favorable commercial protections related to data privacy, information security, SLAs, audit rights, intellectual property, indemnification, limitation of liability, price protections, renewal caps, etc.Supplier Partnership, Innovation, & Risk ManagementChair executive governance with strategic partners; sponsor joint innovation roadmaps and transformation programs.Oversee risk management for the portfolio (cyber, supply continuity, financial, regulatory, ESG) with proactive mitigation and incident response.Segment suppliers (Tier 1/2) and implement governance (QBRs/ABRs, scorecards, corrective actions).Perform AQSCIR assessments for key suppliersOwn and drive marquee RFx/sole‑source events and renewals with enterprise‑wide implications; negotiate creative commercial constructs (risk‑share, outcome‑based, gainshare).Facilitate supplier-led innovation and continuous improvement initiatives aligned to business outcomes.Hold quarterly and annual business reviews (QBRs/ABRs) with suppliers and relevant stakeholdersDrive adoption of preferred suppliers and manage change communication effectivelyPartner with IT governance areas to ensure suppliers meet enterprise cyber security, regulatory, and data protection requirements.Operational Excellence & GovernanceDrive continuous improvement in P2P and CLM. Elevate standards, templates, and systems; automate analytics and reporting; ensure data fidelity and audit readiness.Continuously improve ways of working across Legal, Security/Privacy, Finance/AP, and business units.Track cost savings and avoidance progress against targets and pipeline forecastsCoordinate cross-functional approvals (Security/IT, Privacy, Compliance, Finance, AP, Legal) and drive issue resolution.Coach and assign work to sourcing resources (analysts/specialists) aligned to the wave plan.Stakeholder EngagementBuild trusted partnerships with CIO organization leaders, infrastructure teams, cybersecurity, enterprise applications, engineering, PMO, and digital transformation stakeholders.Map stakeholder ecosystems and develop engagement strategies based on influence, impact, and business needsEngage stakeholders to understand business requirements, pain points, and future needsMaintain a cadence of meetings and communications with key stakeholders and their leadership teamsAct as a trusted advisor and liaison between procurement and business unitsCommunicate clearly and professionally across all channels (in-person meetings, email, video calls), tailoring messages to diverse audiencesRepresent procurement in steering committees, executive briefings, and supplier governance forumsSupport stakeholder projects with high responsiveness, strategic input, and proactive problem-solvingCraft compelling storylines and materialsFinancial PerformanceEngage consistently with Finance and stakeholders in the budgeting process, aligning procurement plans with financial goals.Coordinate with Finance for savings tracking and bottom-line impact protection.Deliver measurable cost savings and avoidance, tracking progress against targets and pipeline forecastsApply Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis to sourcing decisions and supplier evaluationsOptimize contract value through improved terms, pricing structures, and performance incentivesLeadership & ChangeMentor and support a matrixed and cross-functional team of procurement professionals and governance partners to build skills and succession; promote a high‑performance, inclusive culture.Design and execute change management and communications for enterprise rollouts; craft executive narratives and decision memos.QualificationsRequired:Bachelor's degree required in supply chain, finance, project management, or related field.8-10+ years of experience in progressive IT category management/strategic sourcing experience, including leadership of large, complex technology negotiations and cross‑enterprise programs.Deep expertise across enterprise technology procurement including software licensing, SaaS, cloud, telecom, managed services, and technology professional services.Strong understanding of software licensing models, cloud economics, consumption-based pricing, and IT supplier commercial frameworks.Demonstrated executive communication and storytelling skills; track record influencing VP/C‑suite decisions.Expert fluency in benchmarking, TCO, complex contracting, commercial strategy, and supplier performance governance at scale.Expert analytical skills with working knowledge of procure-to-pay, RFx processes, and contract basics/playbooks.Preferred:Advanced degree (MBA or Master's) strongly preferred in supply chain, finance, project management, or related field.10-12+ years of experience in progressive category management/strategic sourcing experience, including leadership of large, complex negotiations and cross‑enterprise programs.Experience working within highly regulated, manufacturing, mobility, automotive, industrial technology, or engineering-driven environments preferred.Experience leading transformation (operating model, digital S2P, supplier ecosystem) across multiple regions.Certifications: CPSM/CIPS; PMP/Prosci or equivalent change credentials; Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.Domain depth in one or more enterprise functions (e.g., HR, IT, Finance, Professional Services, Facilities/CRE).Experience in large, global enterprise with exposure to both indirect (corporate) and direct (client-facing) procurement models.Recent/current experience working across time zones.Strong grasp of software licensing models (SaaS/PaaS/IaaS, subscription vs. perpetual) and associated servicesSkills & CompetenciesCore:Deep understanding and ability to negotiate enterprise software licensing, cloud commercial models, IT services pricing structures, technology benchmarking, managed service contracts, SaaS metric, consumption pricing, user and enterprise-based licensing, infrastructure hosting, etc.Familiarity with Procurement technology platforms in intake/orchestration, P2P, spend analytics and contract lifecycle management.Strategic thinking and structured problem solving; ability to frame choices and drive decisions.Executive presence; concise narrative building; board‑quality materials.Proven ability to build strong stakeholder relationships and influence at all levelsInfluencing without authority; stakeholder alignment and change management.Financial acumen (budget alignment, forecasting, value realization).Technical:Experience with, and hunger for, using AI-based solutions to optimize work efficiency and drive scalable improvements to process and value to projects and negotiations.Sophisticated financial modeling (TCO/NPV, scenario analysis, indexation, benchmarking).Design of KPIs, supplier incentives, and performance regimes; SRM maturity models.Category strategy toolkits; RFx design; commercial modeling (price ladders, indices, incentives).Deep fluency in complex contracting (MSAs, SOWs, data protection, service levels, audit/benchmarking clauses).Leadership:Builds capability; mentors; leads through influence; navigates ambiguity, complexity, pressure, multiple priorities, and change at scale.Bias for action; ownership of outcomes; adaptability; team-first collaboration.Work Model & TravelHybrid role based in Mesa, Arizona with standard business hours. Occasional domestic or global travel (