Category Manager Information Technology

Aston Carter; United States; Hybrid; USD 73,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and prescription drug plans

Vision coverage

Dental plan

401k retirement plan with a generous L

Paid time off, holidays, and otherpaid

Life, AD&D, and disability insurance

No-Cost mental health tool and work‑lI

Tuition reimbursement

Adoption Assistance

Gym Membership Discount Program

Job summary

Aston Carter is seeking an IT Category Specialist II in Minneapolis, hybrid role. You will drive sourcing strategies for IT spend, manage supplier relationships, and partner with engineering and business teams to achieve cost savings and performance improvements.

As part of a collaborative environment, you’ll help optimize costs, negotiate contracts, and support procurement initiatives. Strong negotiation and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Construction Management, or related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of procurement, sourcing, category management, or IT procurement experience.
• Experience managing vendor and supplier relationships.
• Strong negotiation and strategic sourcing skills.
• Experience developing sourcing strategies and supporting contract negotiations.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and project management abilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive results across cross-functional teams.
• Valid driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category sourcing strategies for IT-related spend.
• Partner with internal teams to understand procurement needs and business requirements.
• Build and maintain relationships with suppliers and vendors.
• Support supplier performance reviews and monitor quality, delivery, and service levels.
• Assist with contract negotiations and strategic sourcing initiatives to achieve cost savings.
• Develop supplier profiles, negotiate terms, and evaluate Total Cost of Ownership.
• Help establish pricing strategies for proposals and support forecasting.
• Monitor market trends and supplier capacity to inform decisions.
• Provide reporting and recommendations to leadership and project teams.
• Collaborate and mentor across teams to drive results.

Skills

Procurement

Sourcing

Category management

Vendor relations

Negotiation

Stakeholder influence

Project management

Communication skills

IT procurement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Tools

ERP systems

Spend analytics tools

Job description

IT Category Specialist

Location: Minneapolis, MN (Hybrid)

Schedule: Hybrid (3 days onsite, 2 days remote after onboarding)

Employment Type: Direct Placement

Pay: $72,900 - $109,400

About the Opportunity

Are you an experienced procurement or sourcing professional looking to make an impact with a growing organization? We are seeking an IT Category Specialist II to support strategic sourcing initiatives and supplier management efforts within a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys building supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, analyzing market trends, and partnering with internal stakeholders to drive sourcing strategies that deliver value. You'll play a key role in supporting business growth by optimizing costs, improving supplier performance, and enhancing overall supply chain efficiency.

What You'll Be Doing

As an IT Category Specialist II, you'll help develop and execute sourcing strategies that improve cost efficiency, supplier performance, and overall procurement effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the development and execution of category sourcing strategies for assigned IT-related spend categories
• Partner with internal stakeholders across engineering, operations, and business teams to understand procurement needs and business requirements
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and vendors
• Assist with supplier performance reviews, monitoring quality, delivery, and service levels
• Support contract negotiations and strategic sourcing initiatives to achieve cost savings and operational efficiencies
• Develop supplier profiles, negotiate commercial terms, and evaluate Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
• Help establish pricing strategies for project proposals and support financial reviews and forecasting activities
• Monitor market trends, supplier capacity, pricing fluctuations, and industry developments that may impact sourcing decisions
• Track commodity and market-driven cost changes while helping identify mitigation and recovery strategies
• Provide reporting, analysis, and recommendations to leadership and project teams
• Lead by example through collaboration, mentorship, and strong business partnership

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Construction Management, or a related field
  • Equivalent combinations of education, technical training, and experience will also be considered
• Minimum of 4 years of procurement, sourcing, category management, or IT procurement experience
• Experience managing vendor and supplier relationships
• Strong negotiation and strategic sourcing skills
• Experience developing sourcing strategies and supporting contract negotiations
• Excellent organizational, planning, and project management abilities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive results across cross-functional teams
• Valid driver's license

Preferred Experience

• IT procurement or IT category management experience
• Knowledge of purchasing processes, procurement best practices, and supplier management
• Experience with market analysis, cost reduction initiatives, and spend management
• Exposure to construction, manufacturing, engineering, or project-based environments

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Collaborative and team-oriented culture
• Strong opportunities for professional growth and career advancement
• Exposure to large-scale, innovative projects across multiple industries
• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact on sourcing and procurement strategies
• Stable organization experiencing continued growth
• Flexible hybrid work environment

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Minneapolis, MN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $72900.00 - $109400.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

A few benefits offered include:(for Non-Craft & Non-Union Craft working 25+ hours / week)Medical and prescription drug plans that includes no additional cost vision coverageDental plan401k retirement plan with a generous Mortenson matchPaid time off, holidays, and other paid leavesEmployer paid Life, AD&D, and disability insuranceNo-Cost mental health tool and concierge with extensive work-life resourcesTuition reimbursementAdoption AssistanceGym Membership Discount Program

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Minneapolis, MN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 31, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Minneapolis,MN.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.