HR Procurement Category Lead | Sourcing & Contracts

NT CAREERS; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 95,600 - 162,400; Full time

Job summary

Northern Trust is seeking an experienced procurement professional to lead HR vendor sourcing and category strategies. The role emphasizes supplier diversity, RFx leadership, and contract management while aligning procurement with business objectives and regulatory requirements.

You will drive data‑driven decisions, manage supplier performance, and support audit processes, applying strong communication and leadership across cross‑functional teams in a global financial services environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in business, supply chain, or finance.
• MBA or professional procurement certification is strongly preferred.
• Six or more years in sourcing, procurement, or related fields or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute best‑in‑class HR‑vendor procurement practices, including sourcing, category strategies, and sustainable methods.
• Ensure adherence to procurement processes across spending categories.
• Lead programs promoting supplier diversity (minority, small, women, disadvantaged businesses).
• Develop and communicate an overall procurement strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Provide training on core procurement processes and performance management.

Skills

HR procurement

Category management

Supplier diversity

Negotiation

Data analysis

Stakeholder communication

Project management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Finance, or related field

MBA or advanced degree

Procurement certification (CSCP, CPM)

Tools

Coupa

PeopleSoft

Microsoft Excel

ERP systems

Job description

Northern Trust is seeking an experienced procurement professional to lead HR vendor sourcing and category strategies. The role emphasizes supplier diversity, RFx leadership, and contract management while aligning procurement with business objectives and regulatory requirements.

You will drive data‑driven decisions, manage supplier performance, and support audit processes, applying strong communication and leadership across cross‑functional teams in a global financial services environment.