Software Category Manager – IT Procurement

Talent; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 60.000 - 75.000; Teilzeit

Zusammenfassung

Talent is seeking a seasoned Software Category Manager to own and shape the software and technology spend within a large organisation. This role operates as a strategic partner, going beyond transactional procurement to drive long-term category strategy and commercial value.

Based in the UK, the role is hybrid from Nottingham with at least one day on site per week. You will influence roadmaps, lead major supplier negotiations and collaborate with Legal, Finance and Information Security to

Qualifikationen

• Strong experience within IT Procurement, Technology Procurement or Software Category Management.
• Experience managing software, SaaS or enterprise technology categories.
• Understanding of software licensing, subscription models and enterprise software commercial structures.
• Experience developing category strategies beyond tactical sourcing.
• Experience challenging and influencing senior stakeholders within a large or complex organisation.
• Strong commercial negotiation and contract management experience.
• Ability to identify opportunities independently rather than waiting for procurement demand to be passed across.
• Strong analytical skills, using spend, supplier and market information to shape category decisions.
• Experience managing complex sourcing exercises and high-value supplier negotiations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Aufgaben

• Own and develop the end-to-end Software category strategy, taking a proactive rather than demand-led approach.
• Build a detailed understanding of the organisation's software estate, spend, suppliers, contracts and future technology requirements.
• Identify opportunities for consolidation, optimisation, standardisation and improved commercial models across the software portfolio.
• Use market intelligence, spend analysis, benchmarking and supplier insight to continuously develop the category.
• Challenge stakeholders on requirements, incumbent solutions and historic ways of working rather than simply responding to purchasing requests.
• Influence technology roadmaps and future demand by bringing external market knowledge and commercial insight into the organisation.
• Lead complex sourcing, negotiation and contracting activity across enterprise software and SaaS.
• Develop commercial strategies for major software renewals, new technology investments and supplier changes.
• Negotiate pricing, licensing models, commercial terms and contractual structures with major technology suppliers.
• Work closely with Legal, Finance, Information Security, Technology and Data Protection teams throughout sourcing and contracting processes.
• Identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary software spend, improve licence utilisation and strengthen contractual terms.
• Deliver measurable commercial value while balancing cost, service, risk, innovation and business requirements.
• Build strong relationships with senior technology and business stakeholders, becoming a trusted commercial adviser rather than simply a procurement service.
• Understand upcoming technology initiatives and proactively engage before requirements become formal sourcing exercises.
• Challenge assumptions and help stakeholders identify alternative solutions, suppliers or commercial approaches.
• Present category strategies, commercial recommendations and supplier insights to senior leadership.
• Develop strategic relationships with key software and technology suppliers.
• Lead major supplier reviews and commercial discussions.
• Monitor supplier performance, commercial risk, contract commitments and renewal timelines.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate suppliers or renegotiate existing agreements.
• Work with stakeholders to maximise value from strategic technology partnerships throughout the contract lifecycle.

Kenntnisse

IT Procurement

Software Category Management

Commercial negotiation

Stakeholder management

Contract management

Spend analysis

Licensing models

SaaS procurement

Strategic thinking

Influencing senior stakeholders

Jobbeschreibung

Software Category Manager – IT Procurement

6 Month initial contract inside IR35

Hybrid from Nottingham (at least 1 x a week onsite)

About the role

We are looking for an experienced Software Category Manager to take strategic ownership of a significant software and technology spend portfolio within a large, complex organisation.

This is not a transactional procurement role where requirements are simply passed to Procurement to run an RFP or negotiate a contract. You will operate as a true category expert and commercial partner to the business: proactively identifying opportunities, challenging existing approaches, shaping demand and developing the long-term strategy for the software category.

You will work closely with senior stakeholders across Technology, Finance, Legal, Information Security and the wider business to understand current and future requirements, identify areas of opportunity and ensure the organisation is getting maximum commercial and operational value from its software estate.

Key responsibilities

Category Strategy & Development

• Own and develop the end-to-end Software category strategy, taking a proactive rather than demand-led approach.
• Build a detailed understanding of the organisation's software estate, spend, suppliers, contracts and future technology requirements.
• Identify opportunities for consolidation, optimisation, standardisation and improved commercial models across the software portfolio.
• Use market intelligence, spend analysis, benchmarking and supplier insight to continuously develop the category.
• Challenge stakeholders on requirements, incumbent solutions and historic ways of working rather than simply responding to purchasing requests.
• Influence technology roadmaps and future demand by bringing external market knowledge and commercial insight into the organisation.

Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Management

• Lead complex sourcing, negotiation and contracting activity across enterprise software and SaaS.
• Develop commercial strategies for major software renewals, new technology investments and supplier changes.
• Negotiate pricing, licensing models, commercial terms and contractual structures with major technology suppliers.
• Work closely with Legal, Finance, Information Security, Technology and Data Protection teams throughout sourcing and contracting processes.
• Identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary software spend, improve licence utilisation and strengthen contractual terms.
• Deliver measurable commercial value while balancing cost, service, risk, innovation and business requirements.

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with senior technology and business stakeholders, becoming a trusted commercial adviser rather than simply a procurement service.
• Understand upcoming technology initiatives and proactively engage before requirements become formal sourcing exercises.
• Challenge assumptions and help stakeholders identify alternative solutions, suppliers or commercial approaches.
• Present category strategies, commercial recommendations and supplier insights to senior leadership.
• Develop strategic relationships with key software and technology suppliers.
• Lead major supplier reviews and commercial discussions.
• Monitor supplier performance, commercial risk, contract commitments and renewal timelines.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate suppliers or renegotiate existing agreements.
• Work with stakeholders to maximise value from strategic technology partnerships throughout the contract lifecycle.

What you'll need

• Strong experience within IT Procurement, Technology Procurement or Software Category Management.
• Significant experience managing software, SaaS or enterprise technology categories.
• A strong understanding of software licensing, subscription models and enterprise software commercial structures.
• Demonstrable experience developing category strategies rather than operating purely within tactical or transactional sourcing.
• Experience challenging and influencing senior stakeholders within a large or complex organisation.
• Strong commercial negotiation and contract management experience.
• Ability to identify opportunities independently rather than waiting for procurement demand to be passed across.
• Strong analytical skills, using spend, supplier and market information to shape category decisions.
• Experience managing complex sourcing exercises and high-value supplier negotiations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

It would be great if you also have

• Experience managing major enterprise software vendors or large SaaS providers.
• Experience working across software rationalisation, licence optimisation or technology cost-reduction programmes.
• Experience within a large multinational or highly complex corporate environment.
• Knowledge of software asset management and software licensing models.
• CIPS qualification or equivalent procurement experience.

Industry background is not important.

We are primarily looking for someone who understands strategic Software / IT category management and has operated successfully within a large, complex organisation.

The successful person will be someone who can enter the business, understand the software landscape, identify opportunities and actively develop the category — not simply wait for stakeholders to bring procurement activity to them.