Category Manager, IT Procurement

Category Manager
- Indirect IT Procurement

Coppell Texas | Hybrid three days in office

Software and technology

Professional services and restaurant technology

3 to 5 years in indirect procurement

At Brinker International, every Restaurant Support Center role helps our brands
- Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy - deliver a great experience for Team Members and Guests. We work as one team, take pride in our culture, and believe life is short, so work happy.

Brinker is hiring a hands‑on Category Manager to lead sourcing and commercial work across indirect technology and professional services. The portfolio centers on software and SaaS and may also include consulting, implementation and managed services, restaurant technology hardware, People Works or Human Resources services, and other enterprise services.

A strong software sourcing background is essential. You will work with business partners to define requirements, evaluate suppliers, develop sourcing strategies, negotiate pricing and contract terms, and carry projects through implementation. This role suits someone who takes ownership and moves work forward when the path is not fully defined.

• Own category planning and sourcing activity across software, technology, professional services, and other assigned indirect categories.
• Lead competitive and sole‑source negotiations from initial business need through supplier selection, contract execution, and implementation handoff, including RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs when appropriate.
• Build fact‑based negotiation strategies using market data, supplier proposals, total cost of ownership, cost drivers, benchmarks, and scenario analysis.
• Negotiate software pricing and licensing models, subscription and renewal terms, implementation fees, maintenance and support, service levels, payment terms, and other commercial provisions.
• Source professional services and negotiate statements of work, rate cards, staffing models, deliverables, milestones, expenses, and related commercial terms.
• Review and redline commercial terms in master agreements, software and SaaS agreements, order forms, statements of work, and services agreements in partnership with Legal, Risk Management, and Information Security.
• Build productive relationships with Technology, People Works, Restaurant Operations, Finance, Legal, Risk Management, Information Security, and other business partners. Translate business needs into clear sourcing decisions and explain tradeoffs in plain language.
• Challenge specifications, demand, incumbent assumptions, and supplier proposals when a different approach could improve cost, service, speed, or risk.
• Manage supplier performance and commercial escalations and monitor market developments that may affect pricing, supplier capacity, technology choices, or service delivery.
• Maintain an active sourcing and contract pipeline, manage competing priorities, document value, surface risks early, and carry negotiated terms through supplier onboarding and implementation.

• Bachelor's degree and 3 to 5 years of progressive experience in indirect procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management.
• At least 2 years of software procurement experience, including direct involvement in sourcing and negotiating software or SaaS agreements, pricing structures, licensing models, renewals, and related services.
• Experience sourcing one or more additional indirect categories such as professional services, consulting, implementation services, managed services, technology hardware, or HR services.
• Hands‑on ownership of supplier selection, pricing negotiations, and sourcing events, with the ability to explain the strategy…