Senior Category Leader — PDS & Programs Procurement

Cushman & Wakefield; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 119,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Cushman & Wakefield is seeking a Senior Category Manager for PDS/P&P to develop category strategies, lead strategic sourcing, and manage supplier relationships. The role partners with procurement, business leadership, and account teams to optimize project delivery and drive value across capital programs.

The ideal candidate has deep construction procurement experience, strong negotiation and analytical skills, and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field preferred.
• 10+ years of construction and project development services experience, including 3+ years in procurement category management, with deep expertise in construction and capital projects sourcing, pricing models, and labor/material benchmarking.
• Knowledge of supplier risk management practices
• Ability to train, mentor, and support internal stakeholders
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to identify and resolve issues related to capital programs and construction projects
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to develop innovative strategies and practical solutions
• Experience with contract negotiation and ongoing contract management
• Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on efficiency and value creation
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to work effectively in a dynamic environment
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently and drive results
• Strong business acumen and ability to navigate a matrixed organization
• Effective presentation, decision-making, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Strong active listening and interpersonal skills
• Strong proficiency with MS Office Suite (MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint)

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category strategies for PDS and P&P that align with procurement priorities and business objectives.
• Partner with procurement partners, service line leadership, and account teams to translate strategies into actionable plans.
• Identify opportunities to standardize approaches and enhance category adoption across programs.
• Lead strategic sourcing activities and negotiate terms to balance client needs and company objectives.
• Support development of playbooks and procurement guidance for consistent project execution.
• Manage preferred supplier relationships and oversee performance to drive value.
• Monitor supplier performance and collaborate to address issues and continuous improvement.
• Support governance, compliance, and risk management related to supplier activities.
• Leverage spend analytics and benchmarking to measure performance and impact.
• Develop reporting on supplier performance and savings to demonstrate procurement value.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

MS Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business or related field

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

Job description

Cushman & Wakefield is seeking a Senior Category Manager for PDS/P&P to develop category strategies, lead strategic sourcing, and manage supplier relationships. The role partners with procurement, business leadership, and account teams to optimize project delivery and drive value across capital programs.

The ideal candidate has deep construction procurement experience, strong negotiation and analytical skills, and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.