Manager, Category Strategy & Sourcing

Advocate Health; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Advocate Health in Charlotte, NC seeks a seasoned procurement leader to drive category strategies across healthcare spend, leveraging analytics and market intelligence. You will lead a sourcing team, negotiate complex contracts, and build strong relationships with clinical and operational leaders to align sourcing decisions with enterprise goals.

This role emphasizes risk management, compliance with healthcare standards, and continuous improvement through data-driven insights.

Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor's degree; 5+ years in healthcare sourcing preferred.
• Experience in contracting, procurement, and supplier management.
• Knowledge of inventory management and financial processes.
• Strong negotiation and contract administration skills.
• Familiarity with healthcare regulatory standards.
• Excellent communication with senior leaders and vendors.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes category strategies using spend analysis, market intelligence, and risk assessments to optimize cost, quality, and service.
• Serves as subject matter expert for assigned categories, driving standardization, supplier performance, innovation, and value creation.
• Leads and coaches a team of sourcing professionals, building technical expertise, leadership capability, and business acumen.
• Manages end to end sourcing processes, including supplier identification, negotiations, contracting, and policy compliance execution.
• Drives cost optimization initiatives through utilization analysis, pricing strategies, standardization, and value-based purchasing.
• Builds and maintains strong stakeholder relationships with clinical, operational, financial leaders, and key suppliers to align sourcing decisions.
• Supports supplier relationship and performance management, including evaluations, issue resolution, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Uses data and analytics to track performance, prepare reports, and communicate sourcing outcomes, risks, and recommendations to leadership.
• Identifies and mitigates sourcing risks, supporting resiliency planning, regulatory compliance, and contingency strategies.
• Executes multiyear category plans and budgets, ensuring sourcing activities align with enterprise goals, quality standards, and ethical requirements.

Skills

Sourcing strategy

Contract negotiation

Vendor management

Supply chain knowledge

Healthcare regulations

Analytical skills

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Job description

Major Responsibilities

• Develops and executes category strategies using spend analysis, market intelligence, and risk assessments tooptimizecost, quality, and service.
• Serves as subject matter expert for assigned categories, driving standardization, supplier performance, innovation, and value creation.
• Leads and coaches a team of sourcing professionals, building technicalexpertise, leadership capability, and business acumen.
• Managesend to endsourcing processes, including supplier identification, negotiations, contracting, andpolicy compliantexecution.
• Drives cost optimization initiatives throughutilizationanalysis, pricing strategies, standardization, andvalue-basedpurchasing.
• Builds andmaintainsstrong stakeholder relationships with clinical, operational, financial leaders, and key suppliers to align sourcing decisions.
• Supports supplierrelationshipand performance management, including evaluations, issue resolution, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Uses data and analytics to track performance, prepare reports, and communicate sourcing outcomes, risks, and recommendations to leadership.
• Identifiesand mitigates sourcing risks, supporting resiliency planning, regulatory compliance, and contingency strategies.
• Executes multiyear category plans and budgets, ensuring sourcing activities align with enterprise goals, quality standards, and ethical requirements.

Minimum Job Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s Degreerequired; 5years of direct relevant work experience in healthcare supply chain will be considered in lieu of a degree

Certification / Registration / License

• N/A

Experience

• Requires a minimum of 5years of experience in sourcing,contracting,procurement, materials management,logistics, and financein a healthcare setting.Non-healthcare industry experience will be considered in lieu of direct healthcare experience.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Masteryofsourcing tactics with knowledge in system-widesourcing andpurchasingstrategies, processes, and programs which support a servicefocused, cost effective, and centralized model.
• Demonstrated successful contract negotiation skills and ability toestablishand administer complex contracts for products andservices.
• Soundknowledge of inventory management and related accounting processes.
• Interchange and internet-based procurement transaction processes knowledge with exposure to broader issues such asContinuous Replenishment Processes or Vendor Managed Inventories.
• Skills developing strategic and tactical plans to meet businessobjectivesin a large healthcare system.
• Knowledge of contract law and related legal and financial policies.
• Excellent communication skillsnecessaryto communicate effectively with senior administrators, department leaders,physicians, vendors, and clinical staff to supportAdvocate Health’sacquisition goals.
• Knowledge ofhealthcare accreditation standards (i.e.DNV,JCAHO),Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration, and National Fire Protection Organization requirements.
• Excellent analytical,quantitativeand qualitative skills. Ability toidentifyand solve problems creatively, to work withindeadlines witha highattention to detail and to work independently in a fast paced, dynamicenvironment.
• Experience inworking with and implementing large-scale automated systems.
• Excellent analytical,quantitativeand qualitative skills. Ability toidentifyand solve problems creatively, to work withindeadlines witha highattention to detail and to work independently in a fast paced, dynamicenvironment.
• Experience inworking with and implementing large-scale automated systems.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• This position requireslimitedregional and nationaltravel, therefore,willbe exposed to weather and road conditions.
• Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.
• Exposed to a normal office environment.

Preferred Job Requirements

Preferred Education

• Master’sDegree preferred.

Preferred Experience

• Prior experience in leadership or managerial role including but not limited to planning, directing, and leading a high-performing team centralized in sourcing functions, value analysis, the standardization of products, and the implementation of best practice and cost containment initiativesis preferred.

Preferred Certification / Registration / License

• Certified Resource & Materials Professional (CMRP) preferred but notrequired-American Hospital Association (AHA)

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.