Category Manager - IT HW, SW, Telecom

HF Management Services; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

HF Management Services is seeking a seasoned procurement leader to develop and drive category strategies across IT hardware, software, telecom, cloud, and related technology.

You will lead end-to-end sourcing, negotiate agreements, and build strategic partnerships with suppliers, while ensuring governance and risk management align with enterprise goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Experience in enterprise IT procurement or technology categories preferred.
• Strong data-driven decision making and stakeholder collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies for IT hardware, software, telecom, cloud and related technology.
• Utilize procurement platforms, spend analytics, AI-enabled capabilities, and market intelligence to guide decisions.
• Lead end-to-end strategic sourcing initiatives including market analysis, RFx development, supplier evaluation, and contract award.
• Negotiate commercial agreements that maximize enterprise value while managing risk.
• Develop strategic partnerships with technology suppliers to drive innovation and value.
• Participate in governance, risk management, and continuous improvement of procurement processes.

Skills

Category strategy

Strategic sourcing

Supplier relationship management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

RFx development

Spend analytics

Job description

Duties & Responsibilities

Category Strategy, Value Management & Planning

• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies for Information Technology hardware, software, telecommunications, cloud, and related technology categories aligned with enterprise objectives, balancing cost optimization, innovation, risk management, and business growth.
• Utilize enterprise procurement platforms, spend analytics, AI-enabled procurement capabilities, technology market intelligence, and digital procurement tools to develop data-driven category strategies and improve procurement decision-making.
• Leverage spend analytics, technology market trends, licensing models, demand forecasting, supplier benchmarking, and total cost of ownership analyses to identify sourcing opportunities.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, supplier capabilities, commercial models, and market developments to continuously improve category performance.
• Monitor category performance through financial, operational, supplier, contract, and technology performance KPIs.

Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Management

• Lead end-to-end strategic sourcing initiatives in partnership with the Procurement COE and Strategic Sourcing Specialists, including market analysis, RFx development, supplier evaluation, commercial negotiations, and contract award.
• Develop sourcing strategies that balance commercial value, technical requirements, cybersecurity, supplier capabilities, operational performance, and enterprise risk.
• Lead cross-functional sourcing teams including Information Technology, Enterprise Architecture, Information Security, Finance, Legal, Compliance, and business stakeholders.
• Negotiate commercial agreements for software licensing, hardware procurement, telecommunications, cloud services, maintenance agreements, and related technology solutions that maximize enterprise value while managing financial, legal, operational, and technology risk.
• Ensure contracts support measurable business outcomes, supplier accountability, technology lifecycle management, and ongoing supplier performance.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Develop strategic partnerships with technology suppliers that drive innovation, operational excellence, and continuous value creation.
• Foster supplier innovation by identifying opportunities for emerging technologies, automation, cloud optimization, digital capabilities, and technology modernization.
• Lead supplier performance reviews using data-driven scorecards, service levels, operational KPIs, contract performance, and business outcomes.
• Develop supplier improvement plans and corrective action initiatives where performance expectations are not achieved.
• Collaborate with Information Technology stakeholders and suppliers to continuously improve technology performance, service delivery, and user experience.

Business Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the trusted procurement advisor for Information Technology and business stakeholders, aligning procurement strategies with enterprise technology priorities.
• Partner with Information Technology leadership, Enterprise Architecture, Information Security, Digital Transformation, Finance, Legal, and business stakeholders to support strategic technology initiatives.
• Collaborate with Procurement COE teams-including Procurement Intelligence, Digital Transformation, and Procurement Operations-to deliver integrated procurement solutions.
• Promote procurement best practices, governance, stakeholder engagement, and change management throughout the technology procurement lifecycle.

Governance, Risk & Continuous Improvement

• Ensure procurement activities comply with enterprise procurement policies, delegated authority, regulatory requirements, and technology governance standards.
• Assess supplier, commercial, operational, cybersecurity, privacy, compliance, and technology risks and implement appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Continuously improve procurement processes, supplier governance, user experience, and digital adoption through automation, standardization, and best practices.
• Support Internal Audit, Compliance, supplier assessments, cybersecurity reviews, and technology governance activities as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree