Strategic Construction Procurement Lead

Cushman & Wakefield; St. Louis (MO); Hybrid; USD 119,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Cushman & Wakefield is seeking a Senior Category Manager to lead the PDS and P&P procurement categories, shaping strategies, driving supplier performance, and delivering value across project portfolios. You will partner with account teams, leadership, and stakeholders to balance client needs with program objectives and standardize approaches across capital projects.

The role requires deep knowledge of construction procurement, including pricing models, benchmarking, negotiation, and contract

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.
• Knowledge of supplier risk management practices.
• Ability to train, mentor, and support internal stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with ability to identify and resolve issues in capital programs and construction projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to develop innovative strategies and practical solutions.
• Experience with contract negotiation and ongoing contract management.
• Continuous improvement mindset focusing on efficiency and value creation.
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to work effectively in a dynamic environment.
• Self-starter with 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 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Responsibilities

• Category Strategy: Develop and execute category strategies for PDS and P&P aligned with procurement priorities and business objectives.
• Partner with procurement partners, service line leadership, and account teams to translate category strategies into actionable plans.
• Identify opportunities to standardize approaches, improve category adoption, and enhance value to capital projects.
• Strategic Sourcing & Negotiation: Lead sourcing activities, supplier selection, and competitive processes for cost-effective solutions.
• Negotiate commercial terms, pricing structures, and contracts balancing client needs and strategy.
• Support development of procurement playbooks and guidance for consistent execution across projects.
• Supplier Relationship & Performance Management: Manage preferred supplier relationships and utilization strategies across portfolios.
• Monitor supplier performance and address issues with stakeholders and suppliers for continuous improvement.
• Support supplier governance activities and alignment to client expectations.
• Risk, Governance & Contract Management: Support risk mitigation through supplier oversight and compliance with policies.
• Establish and maintain commercial arrangements and contract management practices.
• Collaborate with Legal, Finance, Operations, Risk and project teams on contract issues.
• Analytics, Reporting & Value Realization: Use spend analytics and benchmarking to identify opportunities and measure performance.
• Develop reporting that tracks supplier performance, opportunities, and value delivered.
• Use data-driven insights to support project teams and demonstrate procurement’s impact.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Problem solving

Analytical skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Organizational skills

Time management

Cross-functional collaboration

Contract negotiation

Continuous improvement

Independence

Stakeholder engagement

Presentation skills

Active listening

MS Office proficiency

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Cushman & Wakefield is seeking a Senior Category Manager to lead the PDS and P&P procurement categories, shaping strategies, driving supplier performance, and delivering value across project portfolios. You will partner with account teams, leadership, and stakeholders to balance client needs with program objectives and standardize approaches across capital projects.

The role requires deep knowledge of construction procurement, including pricing models, benchmarking, negotiation, and contract