Commodity Manager

PDS Inc, LLC; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 91,000 - 129,000; Full time

Job summary

PDS Inc. is seeking a Software Category Manager to drive cost savings on high value software contracts through strategic vendor management.

You will own the full procurement lifecycle, including spend analysis, stakeholder discovery, contract drafting, and finance validation, with a KPI of 14% net cost savings on a $1M+ spend portfolio. Ideal candidates move fast with minimal direction, understand SaaS licensing models, and are adept at building a fact-based negotiation position using Excel and

Qualifications

• Understand savings policy and how savings are calculated.
• Strong data mining skills for spend analysis across units.
• Excel proficiency for vendor tracking and contract docs.

Responsibilities

• Own the full procurement lifecycle from spend analysis to finance validation.
• Lead commercial negotiations, contract drafting and legal coordination.
• Drive consolidation opportunities and 14% net cost savings target.
• Maintain flawless project documentation and proactive stakeholder updates.

Skills

Spend analysis

Vendor negotiations

Data mining

Excel

SaaS licensing

Contract lifecycle management

Tools

Coupa

Contract Central

Asana

iScore

QuickSight

Security portal

Job description

We are seeking a Software Category Manager. This role is responsible for driving cost savings on high value software contracts through commercial negotiations, supplier consolidation, and strategic vendor management across a portfolio of suppliers with $1M+ in annual spend. The Category Manager will own the full procurement lifecycle: spend analysis, stakeholder discovery, contract drafting, legal coordination, negotiation execution, and finance validation. The primary KPI is a 14% net cost savings target applied against managed spend. This is a non mandated procurement model, meaning business teams choose to engage procurement support. The right candidate must earn trust through preparation, responsiveness, and delivering tangible results without requiring close oversight.

Systems & Data Proficiency:

• Coupa (purchase order and spend history research)
• Contract Central (contract repository and lifecycle management)
• Asana (project tracking and intake management)
• iScore (savings pipeline entry and forecasting)
• QuickSight dashboards (global and pan spend reporting)
• Third Party Security portal for vendor compliance reviews

They must understand procurement savings policy, how savings are calculated, validated by finance, and reported against target. Strong data mining skills are essential for analyzing spend across business units, identifying consolidation opportunities, and building a fact based negotiation position. A strong Excel foundation is required for vendor tracking, spend breakdowns, and contract documentation.

What success looks like:

The right person independently researches their supplier base before engaging stakeholders, submits legal and compliance requirements same day, maintains flawless project documentation, and surfaces consolidation opportunities across business teams without being asked. They communicate progress proactively, build credibility through competence, and treat process rigor as non negotiable.

Ideal candidate profile:

Someone with software procurement or strategic sourcing experience who moves fast without sacrificing accuracy, operates with minimal direction, and is comfortable navigating ambiguity across multiple stakeholders. Experience with contract lifecycle management, SaaS/on premises licensing models, and enterprise spend analytics is strongly preferred.

Compensation: $80/hour

PDSINC, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.