Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager

Cognizant; Lincoln (NE); On-site; USD 125,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance

Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off

401(k) plan and contributions

Long-term/Short-term Disability

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager to lead category development, engage stakeholders, and drive sourcing execution across the United States. You will manage supplier selection, RFx processes, and risk mitigation while collaborating with Legal, Information Security, and governance teams.

Remote work is available with CST/PST hours. Required are 10+ years in procurement/sourcing with 6+ years in technology services, plus strong negotiation, analytics, and coordination skills.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in Procurement/Sourcing, incl. 6+ years in software/tech services.
• BA/BS in Business Administration, Supply Chain, or equivalent.
• Experience with eSourcing and spend analytics tools (Coupa, Ariba, Ivalua) and strong Excel/Google skills.
• Familiarity with AI-powered procurement tools is a plus.
• Strong negotiation and contract management background.
• Category management planning and execution experience.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and sourcing events (RFP/RFI/RFQ).
• Results-driven with a track record of value delivery.

Responsibilities

• Develop category management plans and sourcing strategies to achieve cost savings and performance targets.
• Lead cross-functional teams to define requirements and drive supplier initiatives that create value and reduce risk.
• Develop analytical reports on savings, metrics, and KPIs to monitor progress and outcomes.
• Provide visibility into supplier spend and performance.
• Support RFx efforts by guiding project teams through supplier selection processes.
• Collaborate with Legal, Information Security, and Third-Party Governance to secure favorable terms in source-to-pay.
• Manage strategic procurement engagement with one or more business units.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Negotiation

Contract management

Cross-functional collaboration

Excel

Google Workspace

AI-powered procurement tools

Sourcing events (RFP/RFI/RFQ)

Spend analytics

Communication skills

Education

BA/BS in Business Administration or Supply Chain Management

Tools

Coupa

SAP Ariba

Ivalua

Tableau

Oracle P2P

Job description

As a Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager, you will be responsible for category development, strategic procurement engagement, and sourcing execution in collaboration with key internal customers and cross-functional stakeholders. You are accountable for supplier selection and management through planning and executing RFx, monitoring service providers through the purchasing lifecycle, and addressing risk and supplier performance.

Location – Remote. The position is open to qualified applicants across the United States. Candidates must be available to work CST or PST hours.

In this role, you will:

• Develop and implement category management plans and sourcing strategies to negotiate and ensure cost savings/avoidance and performance targets are achieved.
• Establish and lead cross-functional teams of key stakeholders to collaboratively define business requirements and execute supplier initiatives that create value, improve quality, and reduce risk.
• Develop analytical reports on savings, metrics, and KPIs to monitor progress against objectives and key results.
• Provide cross-functional and top-down visibility into supplier spend and performance.
• Support RFx efforts by leading project teams through supplier selection processes.
• Partner closely with cross functional teams such as Legal, Information Security, and Third-Party Governance in ushering agreements through the source-to-pay workflow while securing favorable terms and deals structures.
• Manage strategic procurement engagement with one or more key business units.

What you need to have to be considered:

• 10+ years of related experience in Procurement/Sourcing – including at least 6 years of sourcing software and complex technology services.
• BA/BS degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management or equivalent.
• Experience eSourcing and spending analytics tools (e.g., Coupa, SAP Ariba, Ivalua, or similar), plus strong Excel and Google suite skills.
• Familiarity with AI-powered procurement tools (e.g., contract review, spend analysis, or sourcing copilots) is a plus.
• Proficiency with services and technology-related governing and engagement documents.
• Extensive negotiation and contract management experience.
• Strong customer service focus, communication skills, and attention to detail.
• Category management plan development and execution experience.
• Ability to lead complex sourcing events (RFP, RFI, and RFQ).
• Results-oriented mindset with proven track record of delivering quality outcomes for partners.
• Ability to lead complex initiatives, collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners, and manage projects independently.

These will help you stand out:

• Master’s degree (MBA or similar)
• Procurement professional certification (e.g., CPSM, CIPS, CSP)
• Experience with Oracle or similar P2P systems.
• Experience with enterprise-scale procurement intake and workflow tools.
• Experience using Tableau or other data visualization tools.

Cognizant will only consider applicants for this position who are legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring company sponsorship now or at any time in the future.

Salary and Other Compensation:

Applications will be accepted until September 25, 2026.

The annual salary for this position is between $125,000.00 - $140,000.00 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

Benefits:

At Cognizant, beyond a competitive compensation package, we offer excellent benefits such as

Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Disclaimer: The hourly rate, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.