Business Performance Improvement - Supply Chain and Operations - Indirect Marketing Category Manager

JOB REQUISITION Business Performance Improvement - Supply Chain and Operations - Indirect Marketing Category Manager LOCATION CHICAGO ADDITIONAL LOCATION(S) CHARLOTTE, HOUSTON JOB DESCRIPTION You Belong Here The Protiviti Career provides opportunity to learn, inspire, and advance within a collaborative and inclusive culture. We hire curious individuals for whom learning is a passion. We lean into our mission: We Care. We Collaborate. We Deliver. At every level, we champion leaders who live our values of integrity, inclusion, innovation, and commitment to success. Imagining our work as a journey, we believe integrity guides our way, inclusion moves us forward together, innovation creates new destinations, and our commitment to success empowers us to deliver on our vision to be the most trusted global consulting firm. Where We Need You Protiviti is looking for a Supply Chain & Operations Manager to join our growing Supply Chain & Operations Innovation team. What You Can Expect As a Manager, you’ll partner with our clients to solve complex business problems and provide impactful advice and solutions. You’ll develop lasting relationships with client personnel and further these relationships through quality product delivery. Lead strategic sourcing and procurement engagements focused on indirect marketing categories — advertising agencies, media buying, paid digital media (search, social, programmatic), and creative services Manage end-to-end sourcing cycles: spend analysis, market assessment, RFP/RFQ design, supplier evaluation, negotiation, and contract execution Oversee Statement of Work (SOW) development, management, and governance for agency and media supplier relationships Advise clients on agency compensation models — retainer, project-based, and performance-linked structures — and identify cost optimization opportunities What Will Help You Be Successful You enjoy process, relevant analytics and metrics, organization, and strategic design — particularly within marketing category spend You are motivated to learn and are interested in all things related to strategic sourcing and supplier management, including the latest trends in agency relationships, paid media procurement, and marketing technology You have an inherent interest in project management and team leadership You promote a positive team culture that fosters open communication among all engagement team members You create development opportunities for others, including participating in the creation and rollout of training, and ways for your team to improve our clients and communities You have interest in participating in the preparation of client proposals and strategies to win new business in the indirect marketing space You have interest in working with a diverse portfolio of clients across multiple industries where marketing spend is complex and significant Do Your Talents Include the Following? Demonstrated experience with: Core supply chain and indirect procurement processes — Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Contract Management, Supplier Management, and Accounts Payable Indirect marketing category management — including advertising agencies, media buying firms, paid media platforms (Google, Meta, programmatic), and creative services suppliers Managing agency holding company relationships and negotiating high-value contracts including SOWs, retainer agreements, and media authorization structures Designing and implementing digital supply chain solutions, applying technologies to drive procurement efficiency Traditional technologies that support key supply chain functions — Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), Source-to-Pay (S2P), and Third Party Risk Management/Monitoring (TPRM) Process improvement, business transformation, and project management methodologies such as Lean, Agile, and Change Management Financial modeling, spend benchmarking, and business case management Additional capabilities: Evaluating, summarizing, organizing, and interpreting data — including marketing spend analytics and savings reporting Establishing and cultivating business relationships and a professional network, including with senior marketing and procurement executives Ability to translate and communicate complex sourcing and category topics to client personnel, including C-suite stakeholders Leadership and direct supervisory experience — conducting performance appraisals, mentoring and coaching, oversight and review of work, and motivating high-performing teams Your Educational and Professional Qualifications Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., Supply Chain, Marketing, Operations, or Business-related field) 5–8+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or indirect category management — with a specific focus on marketing services spend 4+ years working in Consulting, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field, either in professional services or industry Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite — with specific emphasis on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; secondary emphasis on Visio, Access, and Tableau/Power BI Professional certification such as CPM, CPSM, CSCP, CPIM, PMP, Six Sigma/Lean Six Sigma, Certified Scrum Professional, or similar is a plus Our Hybrid Workplace Protiviti practices a hybrid model, which is a combination of working in person with a purpose locally, traveling to clients, and working remotely. This model creates meaningful experiences for our people and our clients while offering a flexible environment. The ratio of remote to in-person requirements vary by client, project, team, and other business factors. Our people work both in-person in local Protiviti offices and on client sites, which can include local or out-of-state travel based on our projects and client requests and commitments. Protiviti is not registered to hire or employ personnel in the following states – West Virginia, Alaska. Starting salary is based on a full-time equivalent schedule. Placement in the range is dependent upon experience, skills and geographic work location. Below is the salary range for this job. $126,000.00 - $202,000.00 Our annual bonus plan provides eligible employees additional cash and/or discretionary stock compensation opportunities. Below is the bonus target opportunity for this job. 12% The total cash range is estimated from the sum of the base salary range plus the bonus target opportunity. Below is the estimated total cash range for this job. $141,120.00 - $226,240.00 Employees are eligible for medical, dental, and vision coverages, FSA and HSA healthcare accounts, life and accident insurance, adoption and fertility assistance, paid parental leave up to 10 weeks, and short/long term disability. We offer eligible employees a company 401(k) savings and investment plan with an employer match of 50% on the first 6% of your contributions. We provide Choice Time Off (CTO) for vacation, personal needs, and sick time. The amount of (CTO) varies based on years of service. New hires receive up to 20 days of CTO per calendar year. Protiviti also recognizes up to 11 paid holidays each calendar year. Learn more about the variety of rewards we offer at Protiviti at Any benefits outlined are part of our reward offerings for full-time employees in the U.S. Your Open Enrollment materials, insurance contracts, plan documents and Summary Plan Descriptions together comprise the official plan document which legally governs the administration of your benefit plans. Protiviti reserves the right to terminate or amend your benefit plans in any way and at any time. Protiviti is an Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/Disability/Veteran As part of Protiviti’s employment process, any offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Protiviti is committed to being an equal employment employer offering opportunities to all job seekers, including individuals with disabilities. If you believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to apply for a position, please contact us by sending an email to View email address on click.appcast.io or call View phone number on click.appcast.io for assistance. In your email please include the following: The specific accommodation requested to complete the employment application. The location(s) (city, state) to which you would like to apply. For positions located in San Francisco, CA: Protiviti will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For positions located in Los Angeles County, CA: Protiviti will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Protiviti is not registered to hire or employ personnel in the following states – West Virginia, Alaska. Protiviti is not licensed or registered as a public accounting firm and does not issue opinions on financial statements or offer attestation services. JOB LOCATION IL PRO CHICAGO Protiviti ( is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and our independent and locally owned Member Firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, analytics, digital, legal, HR, governance, risk and internal audit through our network of more than 85 offices in over 25 countries. Named to the 2025 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list, Protiviti has served more than 80 percent of Fortune 100 and nearly 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index. Click HERE to receive insights to life at Protiviti and be among the first to hear about new career opportunities that align with your areas of interest.