IT Category Manager

Lorien; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Lorien is seeking an IT Category Manager- Procurement to lead end-to-end IT sourcing for software, SaaS, cloud, and telecoms within a hybrid London/Ipswich setup. The role demands 10+ years in IT procurement, strong negotiation skills and a proven ability to drive savings while ensuring compliance.

The successful candidate will partner with Legal and business stakeholders to finalize contracts, manage supplier risk, and maintain robust procurement records throughout the lifecycle.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of IT procurement or IT sourcing experience.
• Experience running sourcing events and supplier negotiations.
• Experience reviewing IT contracts with Legal teams.
• Understanding of software, SaaS, cloud and IT services procurement.
• Knowledge of enterprise software licensing models (subscription, user-based, consumption-based, perpetual).
• Experience in corporate procurement with governance and approvals processes.
• Experience using procurement platforms such as Ariba, Coupa, Ivalua or ServiceNow.
• Software and SaaS procurement experience.
• Microsoft licensing experience.
• Cloud services experience across AWS, Azure, GCP or similar.
• IT professional services and telecoms sourcing experience.
• CIPS qualification or working towards it.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end IT sourcing activities across software, SaaS, cloud, telecoms and technology services.
• Manage RFx processes, supplier evaluations, pricing analysis and commercial negotiations.
• Negotiate software, SaaS, cloud and professional services agreements, including pricing and SLAs.
• Translate technical requirements into commercial procurement strategies.
• Prepare sourcing documentation and business cases with governance.
• Support supplier risk, security and privacy reviews.
• Review supplier proposals and optimize price, licensing and terms.
• Collaborate with Legal for contract review and execution.
• Maintain sourcing documentation and supplier communications.
• Support onboarding, renewals and contract lifecycle activities.

Skills

IT procurement

SaaS procurement

RFx management

Contract negotiation

IT sourcing

Software licensing

Cloud services procurement

Supplier negotiations

Microsoft licensing

IT governance

Education

CIPS qualification

Tools

Ariba

Coupa

Ivalua

ServiceNow

Job description

IT Category Manager- Procurement

We are currently recruiting for a Category Manager with strong SaaS experience to join one of our Insurance clients on a 6-month contract

Inside IR35

Hybrid- Ipswich/London a max of 2/3 time a month

The Role

• Lead and support end-to-end IT sourcing activities across software, SaaS, cloud, telecoms and technology services.
• Manage RFx processes, supplier evaluations, pricing analysis and commercial negotiations.
• Negotiate software, SaaS, cloud and professional services agreements, including pricing, liability, data protection, service levels and termination provisions.
• Translate technical requirements into commercial procurement strategies and supplier engagement approaches.
• Prepare sourcing documentation, business cases and approval packs in line with procurement governance requirements.
• Support supplier risk, security, privacy and compliance reviews where required.
• Review supplier proposals and identify opportunities to improve price, licence structure, commercial terms and service commitments.
• Work with Legal and business stakeholders to support contract review, negotiation and execution.
• Maintain sourcing documentation, supplier communications and procurement records in line with internal process requirements.
• Support supplier onboarding, renewals, software true‑ups and contract lifecycle activities where required.

The Requirements

• 10+ years of strong IT Procurement, Technology Procurement or IT Sourcing experience.
• Strong experience running sourcing events and supplier negotiations.
• Experience reviewing and negotiating IT contracts alongside Legal teams.
• Strong understanding of software, SaaS, cloud, telecoms and IT services procurement.
• Understanding of common enterprise software licensing models, including subscription, user-based, consumption-based and perpetual licensing structures.
• Experience working within a corporate procurement environment with defined governance and approval processes.
• Experience using procurement and contract management platforms such as Ariba, Coupa, Ivalua, ServiceNow or similar solutions.
• Software and SaaS procurement experience.
• Microsoft licensing experience.
• Cloud services experience across AWS, Azure, GCP or similar platforms.
• IT professional services sourcing experience.
• Telecoms and network services sourcing experience.
• Contract negotiation and RFx management experience.
• CIPS qualification, or working towards it.

Guidant, Carbon60, Lorien & SRG - The Impellam Group Portfolio are acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.