Category Leader - IT Services & Professional Services

Category Leader – IT Services & Professional Services Sourcing

Bay Area, California Preferred | Hybrid Schedule

Full-Time | Strategic Procurement Leadership

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Category Leader – IT Services to lead category strategy, sourcing execution, and supplier performance management across a large, complex Professional Services portfolio. This role will focus heavily on IT services procurement and enterprise MSP management , requiring a strong balance of strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and executive stakeholder engagement.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record managing large-scale contingent workforce and professional services programs , developing category strategies for significant spend portfolios, and driving operational improvements within highly regulated environments.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Category Management

• Develop and execute category strategies supporting IT services and professional services spend portfolios exceeding $100M annually .
• Align sourcing strategies with enterprise business forecasts, workforce planning initiatives, and organizational objectives.
• Conduct market assessments, spend analytics, and supplier benchmarking to identify cost optimization opportunities and mitigate risk.
• Build multi-year sourcing roadmaps that support evolving business priorities.

MSP & Professional Services Management

• Serve as the procurement lead for strategic Managed Service Provider (MSP) relationships supporting enterprise contingent workforce programs.
• Partner with MSP providers to optimize service delivery, improve program effectiveness, and ensure compliance with established standards.
• Drive governance activities including business reviews, supplier scorecards, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Oversee vendor transitions and change management efforts with minimal disruption to business operations.

Strategic Sourcing & Negotiations

• Lead complex sourcing initiatives and high-value negotiations involving:
• Professional Services
• Staff Augmentation
• Managed Services
• Consulting Services
• IT Labor Categories
• Develop negotiation strategies focused on total value creation, risk mitigation, and long-term supplier partnerships.
• Negotiate contracts, Statements of Work (SOWs), pricing structures, and commercial terms to maximize business outcomes.
• Deliver measurable savings and operational efficiencies through strategic sourcing initiatives.

Stakeholder Management

• Influence senior business leaders through data-driven recommendations and proactive workforce planning discussions.
• Collaborate closely with Procurement, HR, IT, Finance, and Legal stakeholders to align sourcing decisions with enterprise objectives.
• Act as a trusted advisor on market trends, supplier capabilities, and category best practices.

Supplier Performance & Governance

• Establish and maintain supplier scorecards to monitor service quality, responsiveness, compliance, and overall performance.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives with strategic suppliers and MSP partners.
• Ensure supplier adherence to contractual obligations and enterprise standards.
• Identify and mitigate supplier-related risks within highly regulated operating environments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, Information Technology, or a related discipline.
• 6+ years of experience in category management, strategic sourcing, or procurement leadership roles.
• Extensive experience managing Professional Services and IT Services categories within large enterprise organizations.
• Hands-on experience overseeing MSP programs supporting enterprise contingent workforce solutions.
• Demonstrated success managing large spend portfolios
• Proven ability to lead high-value negotiations resulting in measurable savings and operational improvements.
• Strong analytical skills, including experience with spend analysis, cost modeling, and business case development.
• Exceptional executive presence with the ability to influence stakeholders at all organizational levels.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within highly regulated industries , including utilities, telecommunications, healthcare, or financial services.
• Background supporting enterprise vendor transitions and large-scale workforce initiatives.
• Experience implementing or optimizing supplier governance programs and performance scorecards.
• Professional certifications such as CPSM, PMP, or equivalent procurement credentials.

Preferred Systems Experience

Experience with one or more of the following platforms is highly desirable:

• SAP Fieldglass (Expert-level proficiency preferred)
• Beeline (Advanced proficiency)
• Workday
• Vendor Management Systems (VMS)
• Procurement and spend analytics tools