Category Manager

LNCsearch is recruiting for a Category Manager to support and lead a team in one of our client's headquarters. They are an award winning, global $9B Technology Provider with rapid expansion. This person may sit in Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Phoenix, or Charlotte.Requirements:Bachelors Degree in Supply Chain, Procurement or related. Advanced degree is a plus.5+ years experience with Direct Sourcing with exposure to Construction, Engineering, or Manufacturing industries. The ideal person will have reviewed / negotiated contracts for facility and infrastructure material suppliers.Strong experience with evaluation of bids, on a trade-by-trade basis.Experience working within a large publicly-traded or Enterprise type corporation.Responsibilities:Drive sourcing strategies for high-spend, mission-critical categories while ensuring compliance with supplier agreements and internal policies.Partner with cross-functional teams to capture category requirements and enable strategic supplier collaboration.Lead supplier selection activities—develop RFIs/RFPs, manage long/short lists, conduct bid analysis, and deliver recommendations.Build a “best-in-class” supply chain by identifying company-wide spend opportunities and optimizing category value.Conduct deep spend analysis and develop tools, metrics, and methodologies to track sourcing performance.Support procurement activity across a national data center portfolio, enabling efficient facilities purchasing.Create and execute long-range category plans aligned with business objectives and stakeholder needs.Guide internal teams using total cost of ownership models and other strategic frameworks.Implement system improvements, best practices, and work-practice optimizations.Lead implementation efforts for categories that directly impact operations and internal customers.Negotiate, review, and manage contracts consistent with business goals.