Remote Category Lead: Professional Services

J.D. Power; United States; Remote; USD 113,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

JD Power is seeking a Category Manager for Professional Services to lead strategic sourcing, vendor management, and contract negotiations across talent-related categories in North America. This remote role collaborates with Legal, Finance, and business leaders to optimize costs and manage risk.

You will develop sourcing strategies, run RFx processes, negotiate terms, and drive measurable ROI while maintaining strong supplier relationships and category knowledge across staffing, consulting, and

Qualifications

• 8+ years of strategic sourcing, category management, or procurement experience.
• 3+ years of demonstrated experience managing talent categories (staffing, consulting, professional services, or contract labor).
• Proven track record of cost savings, contract negotiations, and vendor relationship management.
• Deep knowledge of staffing markets, talent ecosystems, and professional services industries.
• Understanding of HR processes, compliance requirements (W-2, 1099, visa sponsorship), and employment law implications.
• Strategic thinking
• Excellent negotiation and contract management skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with ability to influence at all levels
• Proficiency with procurement systems, data analysis tools, and Microsoft Office
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously
• Strong relationship and stakeholder management capabilities
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment across geographies and time zones

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing and category management strategies for consultants, contract labor, staff augmentation, professional services, and related category spend across the organization
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers and staffing partners to understand capabilities, market rates, and emerging talent trends
• Partner with business stakeholders across all departments to understand talent needs, skill requirements, project timelines, and budget constraints
• Conduct market research and benchmarking to establish baselines, identify best practices, and stay informed of industry trends in talent sourcing and professional services
• Lead procurement activities including RFx processes, vendor selection, rate negotiations, and contract finalization
• Manage contract negotiations with vendors and service providers, ensuring favorable terms, compliance with company policies, and alignment with risk and legal requirements
• Collaborate with Legal and Finance to manage onboarding, contracting, compliance, and invoicing for all talent and professional services providers
• Drive cost optimization and value creation by identifying savings opportunities, managing spend, negotiating favorable rates, and delivering measurable ROI
• Manage supplier performance through regular business reviews, quality assessments, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Develop business cases and presentations for sourcing decisions, cost savings initiatives, and vendor recommendations to secure stakeholder buy-in
• Maintain deep category knowledge of staffing markets, professional services ecosystems, and talent management best practices
• Monitor and report on key metrics including spend, headcount, savings, vendor performance, and compliance across all talent categories

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Category management

Vendor management

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Procurement, HR, or related field

Tools

Procurement systems

Data analysis tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

JD Power is seeking a Category Manager for Professional Services to lead strategic sourcing, vendor management, and contract negotiations across talent-related categories in North America. This remote role collaborates with Legal, Finance, and business leaders to optimize costs and manage risk.

You will develop sourcing strategies, run RFx processes, negotiate terms, and drive measurable ROI while maintaining strong supplier relationships and category knowledge across staffing, consulting, and