Category Management Director - Indirect Sourcing

Vizient, Inc.; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 102,000 - 179,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Incentive eligible

Comprehensive benefits plan

Job summary

Vizient, Inc. is seeking a Category Management Director to lead comprehensive category strategies, drive value through analytics, and guide cross-functional teams across sourcing, contracting, and value analysis. This role partners with clinicians, executives, and suppliers to align investment with clinical and operational goals.

The position is hybrid, with three days in the office at multiple U.S. locations including Chicago, and requires travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Degree preferred with substantial category management and sourcing experience.
• 7+ years in category management, strategic sourcing, or related field.
• Experience leading complex sourcing and category initiatives.
• Strong negotiation and contracting skills with suppliers.
• Excellent executive communication and relationship management.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end sourcing initiatives from opportunity assessment to implementation.
• Develop and negotiate complex business, financial, operational, and contractual terms.
• Lead stakeholder committees and present category strategies to executives.
• Manage a complex cross-functional portfolio across sourcing, analytics and value analysis teams.
• Apply advanced AI fluency to strategy development and decision-making.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Executive communication

Negotiation

Advanced analytics

AI fluency

Stakeholder management

Education

Relevant degree preferred

Tools

AI tools

Job description

When you're the best, we're the best. We instill an environment where employees feel engaged, satisfied and able to contribute their unique skills and talents while living and working as their authentic selves. We provide extensive opportunities for personal and professional development, building both employee competence and organizational capability to fuel exceptional performance through an inclusive environment both now and in the future.

Summary:

In this role, you will serve as the strategic leader, category subject matter expert, and trusted business advisor for assigned category portfolios. This role develops and executes category strategies that deliver measurable financial, operational, clinical, and organizational value for members while advancing Vizient's strategic objectives. The Category Management Director leads complex sourcing initiatives, facilitates stakeholder alignment, guides value analysis discussions, and provides strategic direction to multidisciplinary teams. Through deep category expertise, market intelligence, and consultative leadership, this role influences sourcing, contracting, and value-based decisions across a broad range of stakeholders, which may include clinicians, physicians, executives, operational leaders, supply chain leaders, and suppliers.

Responsibilities:

Category Leadership & Strategy

• Develop and lead comprehensive category strategies for assigned portfolios that align with client priorities and organizational objectives.

• Serve as the primary category subject matter expert and strategic advisor for stakeholders across sourcing, contracting, and value analysis initiatives.

• Identify category opportunities through analysis of spend, utilization, supplier performance, market conditions, and member priorities.

• Establish strategic plans that drive value realization, standardization, innovation, risk mitigation, and cost optimization.

Strategic Sourcing & Contracting

• Lead end-to-end sourcing initiatives including opportunity assessment, requirements development, RFI/RFP execution, supplier evaluation, negotiations, contract development, and implementation.

• Develop and negotiate complex business, financial, operational, and contractual terms with suppliers.

• Build consensus among client stakeholders, suppliers, and Vizient teams to create solutions that meet clinical, operational, and financial objectives.

• Provide guidance and direction on complex contracting strategies and negotiations.

Stakeholder & Value Analysis Leadership

• Lead stakeholder committees consisting of physicians, clinicians, value analysis leaders, supply chain professionals, operational leadership and executive stakeholders as applicable.

• Facilitate discussions that align stakeholder priorities and support informed sourcing and contracting decisions.

• Present category strategies, sourcing recommendations, and initiative outcomes to executive-level audiences.

• Build trust‑based relationships with key stakeholders and suppliers to drive long‑term value delivery.

Portfolio Management & Advisory Leadership

• Manage a complex category portfolio with significant cross‑functional collaboration across sourcing, contracting, analytics, implementation, and value analysis teams.

• Anticipate and respond to market, regulatory, supply chain, legal, and competitive factors impacting category strategies.

• Provide mentoring, guidance, and subject matter expertise to other team members.

• Represent Vizient in supplier, member, and industry‑facing engagements related to assigned categories.

Analytics & Business Performance

• Evaluate and interpret spend, utilization, supplier, and market data to inform category strategies and recommendations.

• Identify opportunities for savings, standardization, quality improvement, technology adoption, and operational efficiency.

• Monitor supplier performance and market developments to ensure ongoing category effectiveness.

• Partner with internal teams to achieve annual operational, financial, and strategic portfolio goals.

• Applies advanced AI fluency to enhance category strategy development, market intelligence, stakeholder communications, and business decision‑making; evaluates and refines AI‑generated outputs for accuracy, relevance, and business impact, while promoting effective and responsible use of AI tools across sourcing, contracting, and category management activities.

Qualifications:

• Relevant degree preferred.

• 7 or more years of relevant experience required in category management, strategic sourcing, supply chain, consulting, healthcare operations, contracting, or related field.

• Demonstrated experience leading complex sourcing and category management initiatives.

• Proven ability to serve as a trusted advisor and influence executive, clinical, operational, and supplier stakeholders.

• Experience facilitating stakeholder committees, value analysis initiatives, or cross‑functional decision‑making groups.

• Strong negotiation and contracting experience with complex supplier agreements.

• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to translate data into strategic recommendations.

• Excellent executive communication, presentation, and relationship management skills.

• Demonstrates deep knowledge of AI tools, capabilities, outputs, and limitations and applies AI effectively in complex business situations. Leverages AI to improve productivity, analysis, decision‑making, and innovation; critically evaluates AI‑generated content and serves as a resource to others in the effective and responsible use of AI solutions.

• Healthcare, group purchasing, consulting, or highly regulated industry experience preferred.

• This role follows a hybrid work model, requiring three days per week in the office. Office locations include Irving, TX; Chicago, IL; Cape Girardeau, MO and Centennial, CO.

• Willingness to travel.

Estimated Hiring Range:

At Vizient, we consider skills, experience, and organizational needs in our compensation approach. Geographic factors may adjust the range estimate and hires typically fall below the top range. Compensation decisions are tailored to individual circumstances. The current salary range for this role is $102,400.00 to $179,000.00.

This position is also incentive eligible.

Vizient has a comprehensive benefits plan! Please view our benefits here:

http://www.vizientinc.com/about-us/careers

Equal Opportunity Employer: Females/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The Company is committed to equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, gender identity, ethnicity, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status or any other category protected by applicable law.