Category Manager

Category Manager

At Disney, we're storytellers. We make the impossible possible through innovation, creativity, and technology. From movies and streaming platforms to theme parks, consumer products, sports, and immersive experiences, our teams create world-class experiences that reach audiences around the globe.

The Enterprise Sourcing team partners with business and technology leaders across The Walt Disney Company to deliver sourcing and category management strategies that drive value, innovation, and operational excellence. As a Category Manager, Technology Sourcing, you will serve as a strategic individual contributor responsible for leading complex sourcing initiatives, managing key supplier relationships, and developing category strategies across a broad portfolio of technology spend areas.

What You Will Do

• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to business and technology leaders, developing strong stakeholder relationships, understanding business priorities, and delivering sourcing strategies that support enterprise objectives.
• Lead end-to-end strategic sourcing initiatives across technology categories, including demand assessment, category strategy development, market analysis, supplier evaluation, commercial negotiations, contracting, implementation, and supplier performance management.
• Develop and execute category management strategies for technology spend areas, identifying opportunities to optimize cost, mitigate risk, drive innovation, and improve supplier value across the enterprise.
• Lead competitive sourcing events, including Requests for Information (RFIs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and Requests for Quotations (RFQs), ensuring alignment with stakeholder requirements and company procurement standards.
• Maintain deep knowledge of technology markets, industry trends, emerging solutions, and supplier capabilities to provide informed recommendations and support long-term business and technology strategies.
• Partner with global stakeholders to align sourcing activities across regions, promote supplier rationalization, leverage enterprise-scale purchasing power, and support technology standardization initiatives.
• Perform complex financial, commercial, and operational analyses to evaluate sourcing alternatives, build business cases, and deliver executive-level recommendations that influence strategic decisions.
• Collaborate effectively with Legal, Finance, Security, Technology, and business teams to ensure sourcing strategies, contracts, and supplier engagements support enterprise goals and compliance requirements.
• Establish and manage key supplier relationships, driving performance, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement throughout the supplier lifecycle.
• Lead negotiations for technology products, software, SaaS, cloud services, telecommunications, and professional services agreements to achieve favorable commercial, operational, and risk outcomes.
• Mentor and guide sourcing professionals, sharing category expertise, strengthening team capabilities, and promoting best practices in strategic sourcing and category management.
• Support enterprise transformation initiatives by identifying opportunities to modernize technology investments, improve supplier partnerships, and create measurable business value.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• 10+ years of progressive experience in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, or Category Management, including 5+ years in technology-related categories.
• Experience developing and executing sourcing and category strategies that deliver business value.
• Strong negotiation skills with experience managing complex technology agreements and commercial terms.
• Knowledge of technology sourcing categories, including software, SaaS, cloud, infrastructure, and technology services.
• Ability to build strong relationships and influence stakeholders across multiple business units and regions.
• Strong analytical skills with experience evaluating supplier proposals, spend data, and business cases.
• Experience leading competitive sourcing events, including RFPs, RFIs, and supplier evaluations.
• Excellent project management, communication, and presentation skills.
• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced, matrixed environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to delivering high-quality stakeholder support.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, spend analytics tools, procurement platforms, and data-driven decision-making methodologies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in strategic sourcing, category management, or business consulting within a complex, global organization.
• Experience supporting technology sourcing initiatives in the Media, Entertainment, or consumer-facing industries.
• Knowledge of global technology markets, suppliers, and sourcing practices.
• Experience sourcing software, cloud, digital, infrastructure, or technology services categories.
• Ability to work effectively across international teams and stakeholder groups.
• Familiarity with supplier management and category strategy development in a large enterprise environment.
• Willingness to travel as needed (up to 10%).

Education

• Bachelor's degree in business, economics, computer science or related field and/or career experience
• Master's degree or equivalent is preferred

The hiring range for this position in Lake Buena Vista, FL is $120,700.00 to $147,500.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.