Category/Sourcing Manager

The Category/Sourcing Manager focuses on Information Technology (IT) category management and strategic sourcing across enterprise software, Software as a Service (SaaS), cloud infrastructure and platforms (IaaS/PaaS), hardware, telecommunications, IT professional services, and managed services. Partners with IT, Finance, Information Security, Legal, Contract Management, and business stakeholders to align technology investments with business outcomes, optimize lifecycle costs, and address commercial, licensing, supplier, and contractual risks. Maintains current knowledge of AI-enabled software offerings, consumption-based and hybrid pricing, vendor packaging changes, and cloud and SaaS cost optimization to inform sourcing and renewal strategies.

All PSE employees are expected to uphold the safety compliance standards inherent in PSE's operating and/or field procedures related to work responsibilities and promote and support a culture of total safety. Additionally, employees need to demonstrate commitment to conduct business honestly, ethically and consistent with our core values and Code of Conduct. All duties are to be performed in accordance with all regulatory compliance obligations.

Category Management:

• Identify and evaluate potential value generating projects based on complexity, resources, risk, time to implement, and estimated financial impact.
• Manage prioritized portfolio of projects for the category in the near and long term.
• Maintain strong understanding of category dynamics (current market, pricing, cost drivers, industry and supplier variables) through trade groups, publications, etc. and communicates changes to business stakeholders.
• Develop IT category roadmaps informed by technology demand, supplier concentration, product lifecycle and end-of-support risks, market benchmarks, and changing software licensing and AI monetization models.

Strategic Sourcing of Goods and/or Services:

• Identify and document the best fit Sourcing Strategy, summarizing the project, stakeholders, opportunity, key requirements, sourcing approach/levers, and project risks.
• Establish pricing methodology/matrix, mechanism for changes/adjustments, etc. for sourcing projects
• Establish Key Performance Indicators/Service Level Agreements for sourcing projects
• Develop baseline spend and other data needed to build Strategic Sourcing projects
• Evaluate perpetual, term, subscription, named-user, concurrent-user, device, processor/core, enterprise, and consumption-based licensing models, including AI token, credit, or usage-based charges.

Sourcing Event Execution & Management:

• Develop all sourcing project / event documentation (leveraging existing RFI, RFP and/or Auction templates), in addition to all other components of the sourcing event, including: Definitions, Project Overview, Timeline, Contract Template, and Financials.
• Work with Contract Management to develop a specific negotiation plan for the selected supplier(s). Plan, prepare, and understand all of the open points, commercial and contractual issues.
• Lead the supplier selection and RFx award process. Develop different award optimization scenarios to ensure risk is mitigated and optimization of total delivered cost is achieved.
• Monitor financial value achieved from the sourcing event comparing the baseline cost/spend to the new cost/spend of the awarded supply option.
• Partner with Contract Management and Legal to negotiate and execute IT vendor agreements, including MSAs, SOWs, software licensing, SaaS, cloud, support, and maintenance contracts. Identify contractual risks, non-standard terms, and escalation requirements in accordance with procurement governance.
• Translate business and IT requirements into clear contractual obligations, including scope, deliverables, milestones, pricing, service levels, performance metrics, and change management provisions to ensure successful vendor delivery.
• Collaborate with Legal, Information Security, Privacy, and IT stakeholders to address data protection, compliance, risk management, business continuity, and vendor performance requirements, including considerations for emerging technologies such as AI-enabled solutions.

Supplier Relationship Management:

• Work with Supplier Management in segmenting suppliers at category level
• Develop and manage supplier base for specific categories
• Partner with stakeholders to monitor license utilization, vendor commitments, and business value while mitigating contractual and supplier risks.

• Bachelor's degree in finance, supply management, business administration, engineering or other related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
• 5-7+ years of experience in one or more of the following skills: Strategic Planning, Source-to-Pay, Procurement Process/Governance, Spend Analytics, Category Management, Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Management
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required
• Strong presentation and negotiation skills are required
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively with the team and all levels and areas of the organization
• Strong understanding of procurement governance, processes and policies.
• Strong analytical and interpretive skills to recognize, comprehend and assess data, complex issues, and industry information.
• Excellent customer service, problem solving and decision making skills
• Strong negotiation skills and demonstrated conflict resolution skills
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks and assignments simultaneously
• Effective and proven strategic planning ability
• Ability to present complex topics in an effective and concise manner to broad-based audiences including various levels of management
• Demonstrated ability to influence without positional authority

• 5-7+ years of experience in Sourcing Direct/Indirect Spend, OR Procurement Leadership
• 5-7+ years analytical analysis with procurement and supply chain focus
• Experience in spreadsheet, database, and statistical analysis
• Familiarity with eProcurement Source-to-Pay tools desirable
• Experience in eSourcing tools desirable
• Experience in Source-to-Pay transformation
• Ability to identify, assess and mitigate risk
• Strong change management skills, promotes a shared vision and inspires others to embrace new opportunities
• Familiarity with business and contract law as applied to supplier relationships
• Demonstrated experience sourcing and negotiating IT software, SaaS, cloud, or IT services agreements, including translating business and technical requirements into commercial terms in partnership with Contract Management and Legal.
• Working knowledge of software licensing models, license entitlements and compliance considerations, SaaS subscription economics, cloud consumption pricing, and renewal mechanisms; ability to evaluate pricing proposals and lifecycle cost scenarios using spend, entitlement, and utilization data.
• Ability to review and explain commercial and contractual language in MSAs, SOWs, software and SaaS agreements, order forms, and SLAs; identify material licensing, performance, data protection, liability, renewal, and exit issues; and coordinate review and escalation with the appropriate subject matter experts and approval authorities.