Senior Category Manager - It & Technology - Gijón

Hbx Group; Gijón; Presencial; EUR 90.000 - 130.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

HBX Group seeks a Senior Category Manager for IT & Technology Procurement. You will drive strategic sourcing across software, cloud, and IT services, optimizing TCO and protecting cash flow while partnering with IT, Architecture, Security and Finance to align technology investments.

Lead negotiations with SAP, Salesforce, cloud hyperscalers, and AI licensing teams, ensuring governance, privacy, and compliance. Mentor peers and deliver executive-level spend reporting.

Formación

• IT, systems architecture and software licensing experience across technology categories.
• Strong background in cloud, SaaS, ERP/CRM ecosystems and vendor governance.
• Proven negotiations for enterprise IT, cloud and software licenses.

Responsabilidades

• Lead end-to-end strategic sourcing across software, cloud, and IT services.
• Own category strategies aligning with business priorities and roadmaps.
• Drive vendor strategies for SAP, Salesforce, cloud providers, and data platforms.
• Negotiate AI licensing, token-based pricing and consumption models.
• Manage spend, license governance and cloud usage with cost transparency.
• Embed data governance and cyber risk management in supplier contracts.
• Oversee contract lifecycle, terms, renewals, and SLAs.
• Advise IT and leadership on commercial strategy and investments.
• Mentor junior category managers and share best practices.
• Collaborate with Legal, Security and Finance to ensure compliance.

Conocimientos

IT knowledge

Systems Architecture

Cloud Infrastructure

SaaS Platforms

Software licensing

AI licensing

FinOps

Contract management

Risk management

Vendor negotiations

Herramientas

CLM platforms

Contract repositories

Approval workflows

Excel (modeling)

Descripción del empleo

HBX Group is a leading B2B ecosystem player in the TravelTech space, connecting and empowering businesses in the ever-evolving world of travel. We drive growth for our clients and partners while removing friction from the end-to-end travel experience. Our cloud-based technology platforms offer fast and reliable access to a unique portfolio of travel products & services, while rich data and intelligence seamlessly connect supply and demand worldwide.

We have over more than 3,000 experts worldwide, including specialists on the ground who provide insights and support to boost trading even further, especially in the most hard-to-reach segments. This unique blend of technology, data and passionate people serves as a catalyst for all businesses aiming to unlock their full potential in the travel arena.

Job Summary

The Senior Category Manager – IT & Technology Procurement is responsible for driving measurable cost optimization, maximizing total cost of ownership (TCO) value, and protecting operational cash flow through advanced strategic sourcing, software license governance, and rigorous cloud and infrastructure contract management across complex enterprise technology categories. The role acts as a primary commercial advisor and technology procurement lead, partnering closely with IT, Architecture, and Business leadership to align technology investments, mitigate cyber and compliance risks, and govern strategic vendor relationships across the organization.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end strategic sourcing initiatives across core technology categories—including software, applications, cloud infrastructure, AI platforms, and IT services—through demand analysis, market assessments, RFx execution, complex negotiations, and contract awards.
• Own category strategies for IT and Technology, aligning software, cloud, infrastructure, and technical services with business priorities, technology roadmaps, and long-term value creation.
• Drive enterprise vendor strategies for key platforms and ecosystems, including SAP (S/4HANA, BTP, BRIM, SAC), Salesforce (CRM, Agentforce), cloud hyper-scalers (AWS, Microsoft Azure, GCP), and modern data architectures (Snowflake, Databricks).
• Leverage commercial AI understanding to negotiate emerging AI licensing, token- and consumption-based pricing models, LLM agreements, and seat-based AI add-ons while controlling consumption growth.
• Drive spend management and license governance, optimizing cloud usage (committed spend vs. pay-as-you-go), eliminating shelfware, rationalizing software suppliers, and delivering total cost of ownership (TCO) savings.
• Embed data governance and tech risk management into supplier contracts, partnering with Legal and Security, enforce privacy laws (GDPR), cybersecurity standards (SOC 2, ISO 27001), data ownership, and AI output/IP rights.
• Oversee contract lifecycle management, securing favorable commercial terms, renewal price caps, audit protection, robust SLAs, and full visibility of contractual milestones across cloud, SaaS, and software contracts.
• Act as a senior procurement advisor to IT, Enterprise Architecture, Data & AI, and Business leaders, guiding commercial strategy, risk mitigation, and purchasing decisions.
• Mentor and coach junior category managers and procurement colleagues, sharing best practices in tech negotiation, cloud commercial structures, and software licensing (without formal people management responsibility).
• Partner closely with Finance, Legal, Cyber Security, and IT to ensure technology procurement outcomes are commercially sound, compliant, and aligned to financial objectives.
• Produce executive-level reporting and dashboards, tracking spend metrics and monitoring market trends in SaaS, cloud pricing, AI licensing, and emerging tech delivery models.

Required skills

• Technical background in IT, Systems Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure, SaaS Platforms and SW Solutions.
• Knowledge of enterprise ecosystems, including ERP’s, CRM’s, Data Governance solutions and Cloud’s.
• Understanding of AI commercial models, including token-based pricing, consumption metrics, LLM licensing, and AI IP/data rights.
• Proficiency in cloud cost management and FinOps, optimizing committed spend, consumption tracking, and reserved capacity.
• Deep understanding of software licensing mechanics, user tiering, audit defense, and subscription or license rationalization.
• Knowledge of tech risk and data governance, enforcing Data Protection, and cybersecurity standards.
• Proven track record in complex commercial negotiations, including multi-year ELAs, cloud commitments, and top-tier tech renewals.
• Strong contract management expertise, securing renewal price caps, benchmark protection, audit defense, and robust SLAs.
• Drive cross-functional alignment between technical and business teams (IT, Architecture, Security, Product) and corporate partners (Legal, DPO, Finance) to deliver value-driven commercial results.
• Advanced Microsoft 365 Proficiency: Expert analytical modeling in Excel and executive-level presentation design in PowerPoint, experience with SharePoint and Copilot agents.
• CLM Platform Mastery: Experience with Contract Lifecycle Management platforms, contract repositories, and automated approval workflows.
• Cloud & SaaS Commercial Expertise: Deep experience in SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS contracting, including consumption pricing, licensing models, and renewals.
• AI Commercial & Operational Literacy: Hands-on experience with AI tools (e.g., Copilot) alongside understanding of AI commercial models, governance, and contractual risk allocation.
Tier-1 Tech Vendor Knowledge: Strong working knowledge of major technology suppliers, including SAP, Salesforce, Microsoft, AWS, and global enterprise providers.

Experience & Qualifications

7+ years’ experience in IT, Systems Architecture, or Indirect Procurement, with at least 5+ years dedicated specifically to IT strategy, contract negotiation, and supplier governance across Technology, Cloud, and/or Software categories.

Mandatory experience sourcing and managing categories such as:

• IT Consulting & Advisory (enterprise strategy, cloud transformation, architecture, cyber security)
• IT Services & Outsource Delivery (Infra ops, managed application services, system integration, API’s)
• SaaS Platforms & Cloud-Enabled Engagements (enterprise ERP, CRM, data platforms, managed AI services)

Demonstrated ownership of end-to-end commercial lifecycle for IT & Technology category:

• Complex RFx execution for Enterprise IT & Technology Solutions.
• Statement of Work (SoW) drafting and milestone-based deliverables contracting.
• Enterprise subscription models, tier-based licensing, consumption-based, and Fixed Price structures.
• IT rate card negotiations, license metric definitions, and market benchmarking.
• Proven ability to negotiate high-value, complex IT agreements with global vendors.

Strong experience working with Legal on contractual structures including:

• Liability frameworks
• Resource-based pricing
• Service credits and performance mechanisms
• Experience operating in a corporate indirect procurement environment with strong governance, financial tracking, and stakeholder advisory responsibilities.

Candidates with no IT & Technical skills, with primarily supply chain, logistics, manufacturing procurement, or direct materials sourcing backgrounds will not be considered.

At HBX Group, we believe that diversity drives innovation and makes travel a force for good. We're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected, embracing different backgrounds, perspectives and talents. Join us and be part of a team where diversity and equal opportunities really do make a difference.