Director, Procurement Partner

MetLife; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

MetLife’s Global Procurement organization seeks a senior, non-people‑leader to drive enterprise‑scale sourcing and strategic negotiations across non‑technology categories. You will partner with SVP+ and executive leaders to architect innovative commercial constructs, including AI, data, SaaS, and digital transformation deals.

You will shape long‑term supplier and category strategies, manage cross‑LOB initiatives, and lead complex, high‑value agreements while aligning procurement with enterprise

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of indirect procurement, strategic sourcing, or complex deal leadership.
• Proven track record leading large, complex deals ($10M–$100M+) across multiple categories.
• Deep expertise in negotiation strategy, deal structuring, and contract architecture.
• Experience across non-technology services and in negotiating tech, SaaS, AI, and digital transformation agreements.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise-scale, multi-year strategic deals across categories (Professional Services, BPO, Consulting, Marketing, HR, etc.).
• Develop and execute advanced negotiation strategies with senior leaders and suppliers.
• Advise SVP+ stakeholders, influencing strategy and investment trade-offs.
• Shape enterprise category strategies using market intelligence and supplier ecosystems.

Skills

Negotiation strategy

Executive presence

Financial modeling

Indirect procurement

AI and digital transformation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field

MBA or other advanced degree preferred

Tools

Zip intake tools

Ariba

Workday

CLM solutions

Copilot

Claude

Job description

MetLife’s Global Business Solutions (GBS) team delivers enterprise‑wide solutions and services with agility and efficiency, enabling scaled capabilities across our global organization. GBS comprises enterprise teams that lead change initiatives, vendor management and procurement, business resilience, and end‑to‑end shared services through MetLife’s Global Capability Center, which delivers solutions in technology, service, operations, and finance. By driving enterprise‑wide solutions at scale and through seamless collaboration across global business functions, you’ll help MetLife create value and stay ahead in an ever‑evolving landscape. Join a team that transforms challenges into opportunities and delivers lasting success across the enterprise.

The Opportunity

The U.S. Procurement Partnering team sits within the Global Procurement organization and leads enterprise‑wide category management and strategic sourcing across all non‑technology spend categories. The team partners directly with senior business leaders to architect high‑impact sourcing strategies, execute complex negotiations, and transform how third‑party value is realized across the enterprise. The team is undergoing a significant evolution toward a value‑driven operating model, expanding its influence and spend coverage through streamlined processes, enhanced technologies and AI capabilities, and deeper executive engagement.

This Is a Non‑people Leader Role Focused On

• Leading enterprise‑scale, multi‑year strategic deals
• Partnering directly with SVP+ and executive leadership
• Architecting innovative commercial constructs, including AI, data, SaaS, and digital transformation transactions
• Shaping long‑term supplier and category strategies across the enterprise

You will play a pivotal role in advancing procurement’s value by delivering transformative cost, risk, and innovation outcomes while establishing procurement as a trusted executive partner.

Key Responsibilities

• Enterprise Deal Leadership: Lead and architect complex, cross‑LOB sourcing initiatives and high‑value agreements across strategic categories (e.g., Professional Services, BPO, Consulting, Marketing, HR, and insurance/financial services‑related categories), including significant engagement in technology and AI‑driven deals.
• Strategic Negotiation and Deal Architecture: Develop and execute advanced negotiation strategies with senior leaders and suppliers, leveraging scenario modeling, should‑cost analyses, and executive‑level frameworks.
• Executive Stakeholder Advisory: Serve as a trusted advisor to SVP+ stakeholders, influencing business strategy, supplier decisions, and investment trade‑offs while translating priorities into sourcing strategies that optimize total cost of ownership, risk, and long‑term value.
• Category and Market Thought Leadership: Shape enterprise category strategies across critical indirect spend, integrating market intelligence, innovation trends, and supplier ecosystem opportunities, while guiding development of procurement playbooks and negotiation frameworks for complex, AI‑enabled environments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, or a related field (MBA or other advanced degree preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in indirect procurement, strategic sourcing, or complex commercial deal leadership.
• Proven track record leading large, complex deals ($10M–$100M+) across multiple categories and business units.
• Deep expertise in negotiation strategy, deal structuring, and contract architecture.
• Strong experience across non‑technology services categories, with demonstrated capability in negotiating technology, SaaS, AI, and digital transformation agreements.
• Executive presence with the ability to influence and partner with SVP+ stakeholders.
• Advanced analytical and financial modeling capabilities, including total cost of ownership and scenario analysis.
• Experience with procurement tools and platforms, including intake and orchestration tools (e.g., Zip), P2P suites (e.g., Ariba, Workday), CLM solutions, and AI productivity tools (e.g., Copilot, Claude).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in insurance, financial services, or other highly regulated industries.
• Demonstrated experience structuring AI, data, or outcome‑based commercial agreements.
• Expertise in supplier innovation, ecosystem design, and partnership frameworks.
• Strong understanding of risk, compliance, and third‑party governance models.
• Experience contributing to procurement transformation, operating model redesign, or digital enablement initiatives.

Location

This is a hybrid role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in office.

Compensation

Salary range: $140,000 – $185,000. This role may also be eligible for annual short‑term incentive compensation and stock‑based long‑term incentives. All incentives and benefits are subject to applicable plan terms.

Benefits We Offer

Our U.S. benefits address holistic well‑being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no‑cost short‑and long‑term disability. We also provide company‑paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and more.

Equal Opportunity Employment

MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (“protected characteristics”). If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at [e-mail]. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process. MetLife maintains a drug‑free workplace.