IT Category Manager

Aston Carter; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 73,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical & Rx plans

Vision coverage

Dental plan

401k match

Paid time off

Life/AD&D insurance

Mental health resources

Tuition reimbursement

Adoption assistance

Gym membership discounts

Job summary

Aston Carter partners with a growing organization to hire an IT Category Specialist II in Minneapolis, MN. You will lead IT procurement efforts, develop sourcing strategies, negotiate contracts, and build strong supplier relationships to drive cost savings.

In this direct-hire role, you’ll collaborate with engineering, operations, and business teams to optimize spending, monitor market trends, and deliver measurable sourcing results.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience and 4+ years in procurement, sourcing, category management, or IT procurement.
• Experience managing supplier relationships and strong negotiation/strategic sourcing skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive cross-team projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for IT-related categories.
• Build and maintain strong supplier and vendor relationships.
• Support contract negotiations and strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Monitor supplier performance, cost trends, and market conditions.
• Analyze spend and identify opportunities for cost reduction and process improvements.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, and business teams.
• Support forecasting, financial reviews, and reporting activities.
• Evaluate total cost of ownership (TCO) and supplier value.

Skills

Negotiation

Strategic sourcing

Stakeholder influence

Communication

Organization

Problem-solving

Vendor relationships

Procurement experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Construction Management, or related field (or equivalent experience)

Job description

IT Category Specialist

Minneapolis, MN (Hybrid) 3 Days Onsite | 2 Days Remote After Onboarding Direct Hire

About the Opportunity

Aston Carter is partnering with a growing organization seeking an IT Category Specialist II to support strategic sourcing, vendor management, and procurement initiatives. This is an excellent opportunity for a procurement professional who enjoys negotiating contracts, building supplier relationships, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and partnering with business leaders to drive results.

What You'll Do

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for IT-related categories
• Build and maintain strong supplier and vendor relationships
• Support contract negotiations and strategic sourcing initiatives
• Monitor supplier performance, cost trends, and market conditions
• Analyze spend and identify opportunities for cost reduction and process improvements
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders across engineering, operations, and business teams
• Support forecasting, financial reviews, and reporting activities
• Evaluate Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and supplier value

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Construction Management, or related field (or equivalent experience) 4+ years of procurement, sourcing, category management, or IT procurement experience Experience managing supplier and vendor relationships Strong negotiation and strategic sourcing experience Ability to influence stakeholders and drive projects across multiple teams Excellent communication, organization, and problem-solving skills

Preferred Experience

• IT procurement or IT category management
• Strategic sourcing and spend management
• Contract negotiations and supplier performance management
• Experience within construction, manufacturing, engineering, or project-based organizations

Why Apply?

Direct hire opportunity Competitive salary and benefits Hybrid work schedule Career growth and advancement opportunities Collaborative and highly visible role Opportunity to make a direct impact on sourcing strategy and supplier performance

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Minneapolis, MN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $72900.00 - $109400.00/yr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

A few benefits offered include:

• Medical and prescription drug plans that includes no additional cost vision coverage
• Dental plan
• 401k retirement plan with a generous Mortenson match
• Paid time off, holidays, and other paid leaves
• Employer paid Life, AD&D, and disability insurance
• No-Cost mental health tool and concierge with extensive work-life resources
• Tuition reimbursement
• Adoption Assistance
• Gym Membership Discount Program

(for Non-Craft & Non-Union Craft working 25+ hours / week)

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 23, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Minneapolis,MN.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.