Category Manager

Location: Anywhere in Country. At EY, we’re all in to shape your future with confidence. We’ll help you succeed in a globally connected powerhouse of diverse teams and take your career wherever you want it to go. Join EY and help to build a better working world. The opportunity We are seeking a manager with deep expertise in Strategic Procurement, including Category Management and Sourcing capabilities. As a Category Management & Sourcing Consulting Manager, you will play a pivotal role in assessing client’s category management and source-to-contract capabilities, identifying opportunities to improve total value generation through all dimensions of category strategy and execution. You will lead a team of consultants to deliver value to our clients, improving their strategic procurement processes and delivering cost reduction, service improvement, and optimal sourcing strategies. This position offers the chance to work closely with clients, collaboratively finding innovative approaches including use of AI, to deliver that value. Your key responsibilities As a manager in EY’s Procurement practice, you will: Serve as a client-facing consultant, actively engaging with clients to assess opportunities for strategic procurement improvement, and teaming with clients in delivering those improvements Prepare for and lead process workshops with clients, guiding discussions to gather information, assess current state, and collaborating to identify opportunities for total cost reduction Identify client challenges within their category management processes and recommend innovative solutions leveraging leading practices Develop approach and work plans, and support overall program management of the engagement Own deliverables throughout the project lifecycle, driving development, facilitating client reviews, and ensuring alignment with client expectations Design and implement AI-driven procurement solutions within strategic procurement to optimize decision-making and efficiency Develop category expertise across numerous spend categories Conduct spend and market analytics to develop insights in support of opportunity identification, estimating total cost reduction Lead teams conducting strategic sourcing and other total cost reduction efforts Foster strong relationships with client stakeholders to ensure successful project delivery and client satisfaction Leverage deep understanding of sourcing and total cost reduction to coach and develop junior team members in assessing opportunity and delivering client value Support development of thought leadership on sourcing and category management topic areas including use of AI and agentic AI Develop expertise in strategic procurement technology solutions encompassing spend and contract analytics tools, sourcing / autonomous sourcing and negotiations tools, contract lifecycle management solutions Support business development initiatives including proposal support, new solution identification, and client service improvement opportunities Mentor and guide team members in best practices for delivery of complex assessment, sourcing and category management projects Skills and attributes for success Ability to think holistically across people, process, data, and technology to assess opportunities and develop innovative solutions Analytical mindset with a focus on combining data and qualitative information to develop insights for improvement and problem-solving. Ability to manage multiple workstreams and priorities effectively Deep understanding of category management and sourcing capabilities and best practices Strong communication and storytelling skills with the ability to tailor insights for different business audiences Client-facing experience in shaping or selling transformational procurement programs Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-moving client environments Strong leadership and team collaboration skills Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities To qualify for the role, you must have A bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, or a related field 5-8 years of experience in strategic sourcing, category management, with at least 2 years of procurement consulting Strong understanding of procurement processes and best practices Category experience in indirect or direct category management Demonstrated experience in shaping and defining solutions that drive total cost reduction or capability improvement Ideally, you’ll also have Previous experience in a leadership role within a consulting environment Experience with spend analytics, sourcing opportunity assessment, strategic sourcing methodologies and project management frameworks Experience with Sourcing and Category Management Procurement technology and AI solutions Consulting experience or involvement in multi-disciplinary transformation projects Experience in change management approaches What we look for We seek proactive and innovative individuals who are passionate about transforming procurement processes through effective orchestration solutions. You should be a strategic thinker with the ability to collaborate across teams, inspire others, and drive successful outcomes for our clients. What we offer you At EY, we’ll develop you with future-focused skills and equip you with world-class experiences. We’ll empower you in a flexible environment, and fuel you and your extraordinary talents in a diverse and inclusive culture of globally connected teams. Learn more. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to the business. The base salary range for this job in all geographic locations in the US is $128,400 to $235,300. The base salary range for New York City Metro Area, Washington State and California (excluding Sacramento) is $154,000 to $267,400. Individual salaries within those ranges are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills and geography. In addition, our Total Rewards package includes medical and dental coverage, pension and 401(k) plans, and a wide range of paid time off options. Join us in our team-led and leader-enabled hybrid model. Our expectation is for most people in external, client serving roles to work together in person 40-60% of the time over the course of an engagement, project or year. Under our flexible vacation policy, you’ll decide how much vacation time you need based on your own personal circumstances. You’ll also be granted time off for designated EY Paid Holidays, Winter/Summer breaks, Personal/Family Care, and other leaves of absence when needed to support your physical, financial, and emotional well-being. EY accepts applications for this position on an on-going basis. EY focuses on high-ethical standards and integrity among its employees and expects all candidates to demonstrate these qualities. EY | Building a better working world EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets. Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow. EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories. EY provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, genetic information, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other legally protected basis, including arrest and conviction records, in accordance with applicable law. EY is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities including veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and either need assistance applying online or need to request an accommodation during any part of the application process, please call 1-800-EY-HELP3, select Option 2 for candidate related inquiries, then select Option 1 for candidate queries and finally select Option 2 for candidates with an inquiry which will route you to EY’s Talent Shared Services Team (TSS) or email the TSS at View email address on click.appcast.io . #J-18808-Ljbffr