Business Relations & Category Manager

EmblemHealth; New York (NY); On-site; USD 78,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

EmblemHealth is seeking an experienced procurement professional to lead strategy development, solution discovery, and category management across EmblemHealth, AdvantageCare Physicians, and ConnectiCare. You will manage procure‑to‑pay processes, drive cost reduction, and partner with business leaders to align procurement with strategic objectives.

The role requires 5+ years in procurement within healthcare, strong negotiation skills, and proficiency in MS Office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Healthcare, Business, or related field.
• 5+ years of procurement and healthcare experience.
• Ability to understand business and financial models.
• Knowledge of procurement processes, category management, negotiation and spend management.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills across stakeholder levels.
• Proficient with MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Responsibilities

• Partner with business areas for strategy development, solution discovery, and relationship management across EmblemHealth, AdvantageCare Physicians and ConnectiCare.
• Act as the account manager for the procure‑to‑pay process and oversee services via third‑party partners.
• Evaluate requirements, provide market insights, reduce cost, and optimize value through category strategies.
• Lead planning and execution of initiatives to meet business objectives and mitigate category risks.
• Produce category dashboards and regular procurement performance recaps for stakeholders.

Skills

Business and financial modeling

Interpersonal relationship building

Communication skills

MS Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Healthcare, Business or related field

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Summary of Position

• Partner with assigned business areas for the purpose of business strategy development, solution discovery, service management, risk management and relationship management for EmblemHealth, AdvantageCare Physicians and/or ConnectiCare.
  
• Act as the account manager for the procure-to-pay process. Maintain accountability for the services provided by the procurement team through our third-party partners to deliver to the business.
  
• Evaluate business requirements, provide supply market insights and solutions, reduce cost and/or optimize value by aligning on business, procurement, and category strategies.
  
• Facilitate and lead the planning and execution of initiatives to enable the organization and internal business owners to achieve optimal business objectives.
  
• Manage and monitor the delivery of the category plan minimizing any category risks. Recommend approaches to measure outcomes achieved through the implementation of category plans.

Role and Responsibilities

• Partner with assigned business areas for the purpose of business strategy development, solution discovery, service management, risk management and relationship management
  
• Maintain strategic planning routines with business leaders to holistically evaluate and maximize the end‑to end value chain as well as the individual contracts. Proactively identify and evaluate risks associated with procurement and business decisions.
  
• Assist business leaders in solving problems and meeting business objectives by ensuring procurement solutions support the organization's short‑term and long‑term business goals/strategy. Act as an advocate for business needs and required results.
  
• Identify opportunities, assess, and provide recommendations based on business relevance, appropriate timing, cost, risk and quality
  
• Challenge and review key practices and decisions with the business to drive improvement.
  
• Gather business needs and document business requirements; translate business requirements into a process and cost structure for design and development of solutions
  
• Negotiate agreements and commitments by facilitating communication between business stakeholders and procurement from initial requirements to final implementation
  
• Communicate with procurement business leaders and project managers, and third party partners and other stakeholders to drive results and ensure awareness of progress and risks.
  
• Recap (monthly, quarterly, and annually, as needed) procurement performance and produce and communicate regular category dashboards to the business.
  
• Prepare sole source and/or high-risk justification and facilitate the associated governance process and controls
  
• Identify and mitigate potential problems and conflicts with procurement delivery
  
• Perform analysis of all category spends; utilize Category Management tools and techniques to deliver optimum category strategy, inform optimum procurement strategy, continually reduce costs, and drive value
  
• Work with the business to develop category strategies based on key recommendations from the analysis team which drive opportunities for EmblemHealth, AdvantageCare Physcians and ConnectiCare
  
• Measure the success of outcomes achieved through the implementation of category plans
  
• Define supplier relationship management requirements and approach for assigned categories and/or suppliers, including SLAs, KPIs, relationship governance, etc as required.
  
• Analyze reports and market trend information to understand and communicate the impact of procurements goals
  
• Advocate recommendations for solution options in conjunction with procurement resources
  
• Identify continuous improvement opportunities and provides recommendations based on business relevance, appropriate timing, cost, risk and quality
  
• Advise on supply chain options and the associated risks, costs versus benefits, and impacts on products and services and business processes

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Healthcare, Business, or related field.
  
• 5 - 8+ years of relevant procurement and healthcare experience in positions of progressively increasing responsibility. (Required)
  
• The ability to understand business and financial models. (Required)
  
• In-depth knowledge of procurement processes, business area(s), and of requirements analysis, category management, negotiation, contracting, and spend management. (Required)
  
• The ability to leverage interpersonal skills to establish rapport and develop relationships with all key stakeholders: suppliers, customers & colleagues. (Required)
  
• Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, presentation) with all types/levels of audience. (Required)
  
• Proficient with MS Office (Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint, Outlook). (Required)

Additional Information

• Hiring Range: $77,760-$149,040