Category Manager - IT/Telecom

Primary Services; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Primary Services in Houston seeks a Category Manager to lead strategic sourcing and vendor management across telecommunications and IT. You will develop sourcing strategies, analyze spend and contracts, and guide complex vendor evaluations and negotiations for telecom, hardware, software, cloud, and professional services.

The role partners with cross-functional stakeholders to improve cost, service, supplier performance, and procurement risk while ensuring compliance with regulations and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Significant experience in telecommunications and IT procurement, including strategic sourcing, vendor management, and contract negotiation.
• Strong knowledge of telecommunications procurement processes and related technology categories.
• Experience sourcing hardware, software, cloud services, and professional services.
• Demonstrated experience leading vendor evaluations and competitive sourcing processes.
• Experience negotiating pricing, service levels, warranties, schedules, and other commercial terms.
• Proficiency with contract management systems and Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and procurement best practices applicable to telecom and IT categories.
• Master’s degree or professional certification such as CSCP or CPSM preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic sourcing plans for telecommunications and IT products and services.
• Lead competitive sourcing and vendor selection processes in partnership with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Analyze contracts, scopes of work, spend data, and supplier performance to identify savings and efficiency opportunities.
• Evaluate prospective suppliers based on financial stability, capabilities, service quality, compliance, and risk.
• Negotiate pricing, service levels, warranties, schedules, and other commercial contract terms.
• Support sourcing across telecom, hardware, software, cloud services, and professional services.
• Partner with stakeholders to establish vendor evaluation criteria and facilitate supplier selection decisions.
• Identify procurement and supplier risks and develop appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Manage key vendor relationships and serve as a primary contact for performance reviews and issue resolution.
• Conduct supplier performance meetings and track service levels, commitments, and performance metrics.
• Ensure sourcing and contracting activities comply with regulatory requirements, procurement standards, and internal governance.
• Maintain accurate contract, agreement, sourcing, and vendor performance documentation.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Vendor management

Contract negotiation

Spend analysis

Vendor evaluations

Telecommunications procurement

IT procurement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Information Technology, or related field

Master’s degree or CSCP/CPSM preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Contract management systems

Job description

Take your telecommunications and IT sourcing expertise to a leading energy utility serving more than 7 million customers and help shape the technology partnerships behind critical infrastructure. This strategic role offers the opportunity to lead high-impact sourcing, complex vendor negotiations, and supplier strategy across telecom, hardware, software, cloud, and professional services while partnering with stakeholders across a large-scale enterprise.

The Category Manager will lead strategic sourcing and vendor management activities across telecommunications and IT categories. This role will develop sourcing strategies, analyze spend and contracts, lead competitive vendor evaluations, negotiate complex commercial terms, and partner with cross-functional stakeholders to improve cost, service, supplier performance, and procurement risk.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic sourcing plans for telecommunications and IT products and services.
• Lead competitive sourcing and vendor selection processes in partnership with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Analyze contracts, scopes of work, spend data, and supplier performance to identify savings and efficiency opportunities.
• Evaluate prospective suppliers based on financial stability, capabilities, service quality, compliance, and risk.
• Negotiate pricing, service levels, warranties, schedules, and other commercial contract terms.
• Support sourcing across telecom, hardware, software, cloud services, and professional services.
• Partner with stakeholders to establish vendor evaluation criteria and facilitate supplier selection decisions.
• Identify procurement and supplier risks and develop appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Manage key vendor relationships and serve as a primary contact for performance reviews and issue resolution.
• Conduct supplier performance meetings and track service levels, commitments, and performance metrics.
• Ensure sourcing and contracting activities comply with regulatory requirements, procurement standards, and internal governance.
• Maintain accurate contract, agreement, sourcing, and vendor performance documentation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Information Technology, or a related field required.
• Significant experience in telecommunications and IT procurement, including strategic sourcing, vendor management, and contract negotiation.
• Strong knowledge of telecommunications procurement processes and related technology categories.
• Experience sourcing hardware, software, cloud services, and professional services.
• Demonstrated experience leading vendor evaluations and competitive sourcing processes.
• Experience negotiating pricing, service levels, warranties, schedules, and other commercial terms.
• Experience analyzing contracts, scopes of work, spend data, and vendor performance.
• Proficiency with contract management systems and Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and procurement best practices applicable to telecom and IT categories.
• Master’s degree or professional certification such as CSCP or CPSM preferred.