Category Management Analyst – Research Procurement

Net2Source (N2S); Foster City (CA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Net2Source (N2S) is seeking a data-driven Category Management Analyst to support procurement strategies across Research & Product Development. You will analyze spend and supplier data, generate market insights, and drive sourcing activities in a hybrid Foster City environment.

The ideal candidate has 3–6 years in procurement analytics, strong Excel and BI skills, and experience turning data into actionable insights for cross-functional stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Life Sciences, or a related field.
• 3–6 years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, supply chain, analytics, or related consulting.
• Strong analytical and data-management skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Excel; Power BI or similar analytics tools preferred.
• Experience working with large datasets and turning data into actionable insights.
• Strong communication, organization, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Support Category Managers in developing and executing category strategies.
• Analyze spend, supplier, market, and demand data to identify trends and opportunities.
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization, standardization, and supplier consolidation.
• Manage and analyze spend data across multiple procurement categories.
• Ensure accurate spend classification, reporting, and data integrity.
• Develop forecasts and track savings, value delivery, and sourcing pipelines.
• Translate complex data into actionable insights and recommendations.
• Support RFPs, RFIs, negotiations, and other sourcing initiatives.
• Prepare sourcing recommendations, business cases, and presentation materials.
• Track sourcing activities, timelines, and value-delivery initiatives.
• Help implement category strategies and procurement best practices.
• Support supplier segmentation, performance tracking, and rationalization.
• Maintain supplier information, contracts, and performance metrics.
• Assist Category Managers with supplier relationship and performance initiatives.
• Partner with Category Managers, scientists, lab operations, finance, and other business stakeholders.
• Support demand management and ensure a consistent procurement experience.
• Communicate findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and business stakeholders.
• Support procurement process standardization and continuous improvement.
• Assist with catalog enablement, SOP development, and adoption of procurement tools.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, data quality, and procurement processes.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Data management

Stakeholder management

Project prioritization

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Life Sciences, or related field

Tools

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Title: Category Management Analyst – Research Procurement

Location: Onsite / Hybrid Position in Foster City (3 days/week)

Duration: 12+ Month contract role

Position Overview

We are seeking a data-driven and execution-focused Category Management Analyst to support the development and execution of procurement strategies across Research & Product Development categories. This role will partner closely with Category Managers to analyze spend and supplier data, generate market insights, support sourcing initiatives, and drive procurement activities across a complex spend portfolio.

The ideal candidate is highly analytical, detail-oriented, commercially curious, and comfortable working with large datasets and multiple stakeholders. Experience within life sciences, biotech, pharma, or research procurement is strongly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Market Analysis

• Support Category Managers in developing and executing category strategies.
• Analyze spend, supplier, market, and demand data to identify trends and opportunities.
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization, standardization, and supplier consolidation.

Spend & Data Analytics

• Manage and analyze spend data across multiple procurement categories.
• Ensure accurate spend classification, reporting, and data integrity.
• Develop forecasts and track savings, value delivery, and sourcing pipelines.
• Translate complex data into actionable insights and recommendations.

Sourcing & Procurement Execution

• Support RFPs, RFIs, negotiations, and other sourcing initiatives.
• Prepare sourcing recommendations, business cases, and presentation materials.
• Track sourcing activities, timelines, and value-delivery initiatives.
• Help implement category strategies and procurement best practices.
• Support supplier segmentation, performance tracking, and rationalization.
• Maintain supplier information, contracts, and performance metrics.
• Assist Category Managers with supplier relationship and performance initiatives.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Partner with Category Managers, scientists, lab operations, finance, and other business stakeholders.
• Support demand management and ensure a consistent procurement experience.
• Communicate findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and business stakeholders.

Process Improvement

• Support procurement process standardization and continuous improvement.
• Assist with catalog enablement, SOP development, and adoption of procurement tools.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, data quality, and procurement processes.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Life Sciences, or a related field.
• 3–6 years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, supply chain, operations, analytics, or related consulting.
• Strong analytical and data-management skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Excel; experience with Power BI or similar analytics tools preferred.
• Experience working with large datasets and converting data into actionable business insights.
• Strong communication, organization, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced and evolving environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in life sciences, biotech, pharmaceutical, or research environments.
• Experience sourcing CRO/research services, chemicals, reagents, laboratory supplies, or laboratory equipment.
• Knowledge of supplier management, supplier segmentation, and sourcing processes.
• Experience supporting category strategies or strategic sourcing programs.

Ideal Candidate:

• Analytical and comfortable working with complex, high-volume datasets.
• Detail-oriented with a strong focus on data accuracy and integrity.
• Execution-focused and able to turn category strategies into actionable procurement activities.
• Comfortable supporting multiple categories and Category Managers simultaneously.
• Commercially curious with an interest in research and life sciences markets.
• Collaborative and comfortable working with scientists, lab operations, finance teams, and suppliers.

Success in the First 12 Months

• Maintain clean, accurate, and actionable spend data across assigned categories.
• Become a trusted operational partner to Category Managers.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of sourcing and value-delivery initiatives.
• Improve visibility into supplier performance and category opportunities.
• Contribute to measurable cost savings and broader value beyond savings.