IT Labor Category Manager / Sr Category Manager, Procurement

Intro Are you ready to explore a world of possibilities, both at work and during your time off? Join our American Airlines family, and you’ll travel the world, grow your expertise and become the best version of you. As you embark on a new journey, you’ll tackle challenges with flexibility and grace, learning new skills and advancing your career while having the time of your life. Feel free to enrich both your personal and work life and hop on board! Why you'll love this job Strategic Sourcing: Develop and execute category strategies for IT labor, including staff augmentation, contingent workforce, managed IT services, systems integration, and tech consulting. Vendor Management: Build relationships with strategic suppliers, staffing agencies, and global IT service providers. Conduct regular business reviews and monitor supplier performance. Contract & Rate Negotiation: Negotiate commercial terms, pricing, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and Statements of Work (SOWs) to ensure competitive market rates and risk mitigation. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with CIOs, IT leaders, HR, Finance, and Legal teams to forecast labor needs and translate business requirements into actionable sourcing plans. Market Intelligence: Analyze industry trends, labor market dynamics, and supplier cost structures to drive continuous improvement and cost optimization. What you'll do Represents the company in business transactions with both internal and external organizations Creates and manages strategies, negotiations, RFPs, and contracts Creates, negotiates, implements and manages long term contracts while effectively developing and promoting strategic partnerships with suppliers Works closely with internal American Airlines customers and stakeholders to understand their business needs, objectives, product/service requirements and the broader operational processes Effectively communicates with appropriate management levels both internally and externally Identifies opportunities for improvement and makes constructive suggestions for change Assists with the Training program for the Procurement & Supply Chain team, as necessary Assists with the Supplier Diversity program, as necessary All you'll need for success Minimum Qualifications – Education & Prior Job Experience Bachelor's degree in relevant field 3+ years in strategic sourcing, procurement, or category management, with a specific focus on IT services, professional services, or contingent labor. Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of the IT vendor landscape, rate benchmarking, and various IT operational models. Negotiation Skills: Proven ability to redline contracts, mitigate risks, and negotiate favorable commercial terms. Analytical Capability: Strong data-analysis skills to track category metrics, evaluate spend, and measure Return on Investment (ROI) Education: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field. An MBA or relevant certifications (e.g., CPSM) are highly valued. Preferred Qualifications – Education & Prior Job Experience Degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business Administration, Business Management, Finance, Accounting, or other related field Knowledge of Source to Pay systems Strong project management skills Process Mapping abilities Supplier Risk Analysis Vendor Relationship Management Skills, Licenses & Certifications Skilled in Microsoft Office (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint) A potential team leader with strong communication skills Understanding of supply chain concepts, with work experience applying those concepts Negotiating and influencing skills Self-directed and resourceful with the ability to handle multiple, simultaneous tasks with exhibited follow through and initiative Business understanding, particularly in project management, early supplier involvement, total cost management and financial analysis Understanding and use of technical tools for analysis, problem solving, forecasting and quality improvement Previous experience with Source to Pay systems Proficient in Excel High ethical standard What you'll get Feel free to take advantage of all that American Airlines has to offer: Travel Perks: Ready to explore the world? You, your family and your friends can reach 365 destinations on more than 6,800 daily flights across our global network. Health Benefits: On day one, you’ll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well. And that’s just the start, we also offer virtual doctor visits, flexible spending accounts and more. Wellness Programs: We want you to be the best version of yourself – that’s why our wellness programs provide you with all the right tools, resources and support you need. 401(k) Program: Available upon hire and, depending on the workgroup, employer contributions to your 401(k) program are available after one year. Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include our Employee Assistance Program, pet insurance and discounts on hotels, cars, cruises and more Feel free to be yourself at American From the team members we hire to the customers we serve, inclusion and diversity are the foundation of the dynamic workforce at American Airlines. Our 20+ Employee Business Resource Groups are focused on connecting our team members to our customers, suppliers, communities and shareholders, helping team members reach their full potential and creating an inclusive work environment to meet and exceed the needs of our diverse world. Are you ready to feel a tremendous sense of pride and satisfaction as you do your part to keep the largest airline in the world running smoothly as we care for people on life’s journey? Feel free to be yourself at American. #J-18808-Ljbffr