Category Manager (Technology Sourcing)

Oppurtuna; Bellevue (WA); Hybrid; USD 116,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity (where applicable)

Bonus

Health, dental, vision insurance

401(k)

Paid leave

Job summary

Okta is seeking a Category Manager for Technology Sourcing in Bellevue, WA, to lead strategic sourcing across software, SaaS, IaaS, and related tech categories. The role requires steering complex negotiations, guiding internal stakeholders, and driving cost optimization in a fast-paced, global environment.

The ideal candidate brings 5+ years in technology procurement, strong contract acumen, and a track record of mentoring junior managers, with a hybrid work model in Bellevue.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in Sourcing and Procurement of Technology, including category management and strategic sourcing.
• Proven ability to independently lead complex contract negotiations with strong risk and terms understanding.
• Experience mentoring junior category managers or sourcing staff.
• Excellent communication and ability to present to senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead technology category strategies and sourcing plans; produce documentation for RFx events and business cases.
• Lead end-to-end strategic sourcing processes: RFx events, supplier evaluations, and contract negotiations.
• Negotiate commercial terms for project-level agreements and collaborate with Legal on MSAs.
• Identify cost optimization opportunities and manage supplier risk across large technology spend.
• Build and manage relationships with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Own supplier relationship strategy for top technology suppliers and drive performance reviews.
• Ensure governance and compliance with company policies and provide mentorship to junior team members.
• Build spend analyses and data models to inform leadership decisions and present insights.

Skills

Technology sourcing

Contract negotiations

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Tools

Workday Sourcing/Scout

Coupa

Ironclad

Job description

# Category Manager (Technology Sourcing)OktaBellevue, WashingtonPosted a day agoApply Now## DetailsLocationBellevue, Washington## Job SummaryAccounting Operations-121## Job DescriptionSecure Every Identity, from AI to HumanIdentity is the key to unlocking the potential of AI. Okta secures AI by building the trusted, neutral infrastructure that enables organizations to safely embrace this new era. This work requires a relentless drive to solve complex challenges with real-world stakes. We are looking for builders and owners who operate with speed and urgency and execute with excellence.This is an opportunity to do career-defining work. We're all in on this mission. If you are too, let's talk.Okta's Strategic Sourcing and Procurement (SS&P) team is looking for an experiencedCategory Manager (Technology Sourcing)to to join our energetic Strategic Sourcing team to support and be part of Okta's continued growth. You will lead sourcing activities for our Technology spend globally. This includes leading complex, high-value sourcing projects and contract negotiations for IT service and product categories such as Software, Network, SaaS, IaaS, Telephony, and other direct or indirect technology requirements on a local or global scale.In this role, you will be a trusted, senior partner to our Technology stakeholders — owning the sourcing strategy for some of SS&P's most complex and highest-impact categories, leading high-stakes negotiations, and driving cost-saving initiatives while maintaining service quality and mitigating risk. You will also provide guidance and mentorship to junior Category Managers and serve as an escalation point for Tactical Sourcing on technology-related matters.We are looking for a proactive, organized, and collaborative individual who works well in a fast-paced environment and can operate with a high degree of autonomy. This role will report to the Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing – Technology.This is a hybrid role (2 days a week in office) and must be based in either Bellevue, WA, or the San Francisco Bay Area.Key Responsibilities:Category Strategy & Planning:Develop and lead sourcing strategies for Technology categories (Software, Network, SaaS, IaaS, Telephony, AI, and related technology requirements), working closely with senior stakeholders to understand long-term needs and deliver measurable value. Gather business and technical requirements to produce documentation supporting RFx events, and develop internal presentations and business cases to secure management approval for multi-year supplier agreements.Sourcing & Project Management: Lead and support all aspects of the strategic sourcing process end-to-end — RFx events, supplier evaluations, and day-to-day commercial contract negotiations — for the most complex, high-value technology sourcing initiatives.Contract Negotiation:Lead commercial term negotiations for project-level agreements and partner with Legal on Master Service Agreements (MSAs) and related exhibits, applying strong negotiation and legal acumen to secure favorable terms on high-stakes, high-dollar technology contracts.Cost Optimization & Risk Management:Use industry expertise to identify and lead cost optimization initiatives across the largest or most strategic Technology categories, where outcomes carry cross-functional or company-wide impact. Provide economic analysis of supplier proposals for high-dollar or high-risk expenditures, and identify and mitigate the associated internal and external risks. Identify and mitigate both internal and external risks associated with technology purchase transactions.Stakeholder Partnership:Build effective, strategic relationships with senior business stakeholders and cross-functional teams (Finance, Legal, Security, Privacy) to align sourcing initiatives with business requirements, ensuring policies and procedures are followed and met.Supplier Relaitonship Management:Own the relationship strategy for Okta's most strategic or highest-spend Technology suppliers. Drive supplier performance review meetings and serve as the escalation point when supplier issues or negotiations exceed what P3 Category Managers can resolve independently.Process, Governance, & Compliance:Ensure adherence to Okta's policies and procedures. Provide guidance and mentorship to and serve as an escalation point for junior team members.Data Analysis & Reporting:Build the data models and spend analysis that inform leadership's Technology category decisions — identifying opportunities for streamlining and consolidation of spend across the portfolio. Regularly brief leadership on strategy progress, savings, and market trends, presenting insights in an executive-ready formatQualifications:Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, or a related field.5+ years of experience in Sourcing and Procurement of Technology (Infrastructure, SaaS, Telecom, IaaS, AI, etc.), including category management, strategic sourcing, vendor management, risk management, and/or procurement in a large, global company environment.Proven ability to independently lead complex contract and commercial term negotiations, including deep understanding of tech contract law, commercial terms, and risk requirements.Demonstrated ability to own end-to-end management of the most complex, highest-dollar, or highest-risk sourcing projects, with minimal oversight.Experience mentoring or providing guidance to junior category managers or sourcing staff.Demonstrated ability to build data models and spend analyses that inform senior leadership decisions, and to present findings and recommendations in an executive-ready format.Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated track record of building trust and driving alignment with senior-level business stakeholders, cross-functional partners, and key vendors.Experience owning strategic relationships with an organization's highest-spend or most critical suppliers, including serving as an escalation point for issues beyond junior team members' authority to resolve.Advanced proficiency in sourcing and contract systems (e.g., Workday Strategic Sourcing/Scout, Coupa, Ironclad), with experience identifying and driving improvements to how these tools are used across the category management function.Preferred Qualifications:Professional certifications such as CSCP, CPSM, or CPIM.Experience driving M&A-related sourcing activity, including contract novation and consolidation.Proven track record of process or policy improvements that scaled across a sourcing function.Proficiency with analytics and reporting; strong data-oriented approach to category strategy and negotiations.Experience with ERP and financial systems; familiarity with Coupa, Workday Strategic Sourcing (Scout), etc.Ability to travel as needed.P11676\\_3562986The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in the San Francisco Bay area is between:$130,000—$178,000 USDBelow is the annual base salary range for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York and Washington. Your actual base salary will depend on factors such as your skills, qualifications, experience, and work location. In addition, Okta offers equity (where applicable), bonus, and benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), flexible spending account, and paid leave (including PTO and parental leave) in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. To learn more about our Total Rewards program please visit:https://rewards.okta.com/us.The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Washington is between:$116,000—$160,000 USD