IT Category Strategist II — Hybrid (Minneapolis)

Aston Carter; United States; Hybrid; USD 73,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and prescription drug plans

Vision coverage

Dental plan

401k retirement plan with a generous L

Paid time off, holidays, and otherpaid

Life, AD&D, and disability insurance

No-Cost mental health tool and work‑lI

Tuition reimbursement

Adoption Assistance

Gym Membership Discount Program

Job summary

Aston Carter is seeking an IT Category Specialist II in Minneapolis, hybrid role. You will drive sourcing strategies for IT spend, manage supplier relationships, and partner with engineering and business teams to achieve cost savings and performance improvements.

As part of a collaborative environment, you’ll help optimize costs, negotiate contracts, and support procurement initiatives. Strong negotiation and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Construction Management, or related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of procurement, sourcing, category management, or IT procurement experience.
• Experience managing vendor and supplier relationships.
• Strong negotiation and strategic sourcing skills.
• Experience developing sourcing strategies and supporting contract negotiations.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and project management abilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive results across cross-functional teams.
• Valid driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category sourcing strategies for IT-related spend.
• Partner with internal teams to understand procurement needs and business requirements.
• Build and maintain relationships with suppliers and vendors.
• Support supplier performance reviews and monitor quality, delivery, and service levels.
• Assist with contract negotiations and strategic sourcing initiatives to achieve cost savings.
• Develop supplier profiles, negotiate terms, and evaluate Total Cost of Ownership.
• Help establish pricing strategies for proposals and support forecasting.
• Monitor market trends and supplier capacity to inform decisions.
• Provide reporting and recommendations to leadership and project teams.
• Collaborate and mentor across teams to drive results.

Skills

Procurement

Sourcing

Category management

Vendor relations

Negotiation

Stakeholder influence

Project management

Communication skills

IT procurement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Tools

ERP systems

Spend analytics tools

Job description

Aston Carter is seeking an IT Category Specialist II in Minneapolis, hybrid role. You will drive sourcing strategies for IT spend, manage supplier relationships, and partner with engineering and business teams to achieve cost savings and performance improvements.

As part of a collaborative environment, you’ll help optimize costs, negotiate contracts, and support procurement initiatives. Strong negotiation and communication skills are essential.