Global Category Manager

Global Category Manager Bedford, MA 01730 6 Months While Local is required no confirmed requirement onsite at this time - but onsite will very likely be required in some capacity during assignment. Candidates should have 5 years' experience indirect procurement/sourcing experience. Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree for consideration / A master's in supply chain or business administration would be preferred.

What You Will Do:

Category Strategy & Sourcing Execution Develop and implement global category strategies for IT, R D, and Digital spend, aligned with business and financial objectives. Lead end‑to‑end strategic sourcing initiatives, including demand assessment, market analysis, RFP/RFQ execution, negotiations, and contracting. Identify and deliver cost savings, cost avoidance, and value improvement opportunities. Proactively manage contract renewals to avoid auto‑renewals and ensure right‑sized, competitive agreements. Proficiency in financial analysis, building pricing models to deliver actionable recommendations and to support decision-making. Stakeholder & Supplier Management Act as a trusted advisor to senior business stakeholders across IT, Engineering, Digital, and Finance. Lead commercial negotiations with global and regional suppliers. Establish and manage strategic supplier relationships, including performance reviews and governance cadence. Drive alignment across regions to reduce fragmentation and improve leverage. Support stakeholders to gather key business requirements, data, and feedback in vendor selection process. Coordinate and manage QBR's with Critical and Strategic Vendors. Commercial, Risk & Governance Review and negotiate key commercial terms including pricing, payment terms, payment frequency, SLAs, and termination clauses. Partner closely with Legal to manage contract risk and compliance. Prepare sourcing recommendations and obtain required internal approvals. Ensure sourcing activities comply with company policies, controls, and audit requirements. Responsible for decision making driving TCO, ensuring a clear understanding of the end-to-end benefit/expenditures. Continuous Improvement Contribute to the evolution of best‑in‑class indirect sourcing processes. Support standardization, governance, and transparency across categories and regions. Leverage data, benchmarks, and analytics to inform decisions.

Skills:

To Be Successful You Will Have:

Bachelor's degree with 5 years' experience indirect procurement/sourcing experience. A master's in supply chain or business administration is preferred. ISM Certified or other related professional certification is desired. Proven track record and ability to manage multiple projects/categories. Excellent organizational, communication, collaborative, and interpersonal skills to foster respect and teamwork with internal and external partners. Ability to inspire and motivate team members and cross functional teams to embrace the procurement processes. Collaborative, problem solver, and solution focused/driven. Demonstrated the "trusted advisor" status in previous roles. Experience partnering with Legal and Finance on contract and approval processes. Proven ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced, global, and multicultural environment. #TB_EN #ZR Why TalentBurst? At TalentBurst, we deliver more than talent, we deliver outcomes. We partner with you to move quickly and connect you to opportunities aligned with your skills and long term growth. Backed by precision, transparency, and results, we connect top talent with leading organizations through trusted partnerships. We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and retirement options. TalentBurst is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce.