Assistant Director, Strategic Sourcing & Category Manager

Assistant Director, Strategic Sourcing & Category Manager

Reporting to the Director of Strategic Sourcing, the Assistant Director, Strategic Sourcing and Category Manager plays a critical role in optimizing the university's procurement processes and maximizing value across its supply chain. This position is responsible for leading strategic sourcing initiatives, developing and implementing category management strategies, and negotiating complex contracts to achieve best‑in‑class results. The ideal candidate will be a skilled negotiator, a strategic thinker, and an experienced professional with a deep understanding of the full procurement lifecycle.

This role requires a high degree of collaboration with university stakeholders, faculty, and staff to ensure that procurement activities align with institutional goals and support academic and research missions. The assistant director will work closely with the Director of Strategic Sourcing to provide leadership to the Strategic Sourcing Team, including performing spend analysis, providing guidance to other team members, and leading special projects as assigned.

• Lead and manage all aspects of the strategic sourcing process, from needs assessment and market analysis to supplier selection and contract award.
• Manage the evaluation of supplier proposals and presentations, ensuring a fair and transparent selection process. Coordinate with department representatives and/or committee members through review & selection process.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for high‑spend and critical categories, including Request for Proposals (RFPs), Request for Information (RFIs), and other competitive solicitations.
• Conduct comprehensive market research to identify potential suppliers, emerging technologies, and industry trends.
• Analyze spending data and stakeholder requirements to identify opportunities for cost savings, process efficiencies, and value creation.
• Collaborate with university departments to gain an understanding of unique service level requirements and availability of resources to define requirements and develop clear, concise sourcing documents (ensuring alignment with university goals, bid thresholds, & policies).
• Develop key performance indicators for chosen suppliers and negotiate to award strategic contracts with measurable SLA metrics that result in cost reductions and improved service levels.
• Promote the inclusion of socially responsible and inclusive procurement practices in the university’s bid process.
• Support supplier and contract transition processes, maintaining continuity of service during transition from one supplier to another and ensuring that the appropriate process is followed for termination/non‑renewal of existing contracts. Work with internal departments to plan, coordinate, execute, and track supplier transitions.

• Develop, implement, and manage multi‑year category strategies for assigned spend categories that meet the university’s business needs.
• Act as the primary subject matter expert for assigned categories, providing guidance and insights to stakeholders on market trends, supplier capabilities, and best practices.
• Conduct spend analysis and demand forecasting to inform category strategies and identify opportunities for consolidation or optimization.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key university stakeholders to understand their needs and ensure category strategies are aligned with their objectives.
• Monitor and report on the performance of category strategies, including savings achieved, risk mitigation, and supplier performance.
• Become familiar with and promote the use of the university’s group purchasing cooperatives and strategic alliances to leverage competitive pricing and awarded contracts available through these memberships.

• Lead and execute negotiations with suppliers to secure favorable pricing, terms, and conditions.
• Edit, review, and finalize a wide range of procurement contracts, including master service agreements, statements of work, and non‑disclosure agreements using university approved templates.
• Review,…