Category Manager – Security & Electronic Systems

Overview

M.C. Dean is Building Intelligence. We design, build, operate, and maintain cyber-physical solutions for the nation’s most mission-critical facilities, secure environments, complex infrastructure, and global enterprises. With over 9,000 employees, our capabilities span electrical, electronic security, telecommunications, life safety, automation and controls, audiovisual, and IT systems. Headquarters in Tysons, Virginia, M.C. Dean delivers resilient, secure, and innovative power and technology solutions through engineering expertise and smart systems integration.

Our people are passionate about engineering innovation that improves lives and drives impactful change. Guided by our core values—agility, expertise, and trust,we foster a collaborative and forward-thinking work environment. At M.C. Dean, we are committed to building the next generation of technical leaders in electrical, engineering, and cybersecurity industries.

The Category Manager – Security & Electronic Systems is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategy for the turnkey systems, software, equipment, and devices that support M.C. Dean's Security & Electronic Systems (SES) business line. This includes access control, video surveillance/CCTV, intrusion detection, fire alarm and life-safety systems, structured cabling, audiovisual, software/licensing, and related low-voltage electronic systems and turnkey solutions. The role owns supplier selection, negotiation, and performance management for the category, and works closely with Estimating, Project Operations, Legal, and Risk Management to ensure supply continuity, cost competitiveness, and contractual/compliance alignment across federal, DoD, and commercial mission-critical projects.

Categories are aligned to the CSI-based taxonomy used across the SES business unit and may include one or more of the following:
Access Control & Intrusion Detection;
Video Surveillance;
Data Communications Network Equipment;
Data Communications Hardware;
Audio-Video Systems;
Cable/Cabling & Terminations; and Battery/Power Equipment.

Category Strategy & Market Intelligence

• Develop and own the category strategy for turnkey systems, software, equipment, devices, and subcontracted trade services within SES, including make-vs-buy analysis and total cost of ownership modeling.
• Conduct ongoing market research on suppliers, emerging technologies, and pricing trends to inform category strategy and maintain a competitive supplier base.
• Identify and correct manufacturer/supplier concentration risk within the category and build qualified alternates into the category plan.

Supplier & Contract Negotiation

• Lead supplier identification, qualification, and prequalification for OEMs, software/technology vendors, and subcontractors within the category, in coordination with Risk Management's subcontractor default/SDI framework.
• Negotiate master/enterprise pricing agreements, rebate structures, and volume commitments with OEMs, distributors, and software/licensing vendors, so that individual purchase orders are executed against pre-negotiated terms rather than renegotiated case by case.
• Manage vendor performance scorecards covering cost, quality, on-time delivery, and compliance; drive corrective action plans with underperforming suppliers.
• Partner with Estimating and Business Development during proposal development to validate category pricing, availability, and subcontractor/vendor teaming for pursuits.
• Structure commercial enterprise terms (rebates, price protection, ship-and-debit) for large commercial customers, keeping federal and commercial agreement terms cleanly segregated where required.

Compliance & Risk

• Ensure…