Leads IT-category management efforts (category is over $100 million in annual spend). Serves as a procurement IT subject matter expert. Collaborates with business unit leadership to develop annual category management plans that include an annual sourcing calendar, a supply market overview, summary of business needs and cost drivers, and current supply-base overview (complete with listing of expiring agreements and plan of action).
Areas of Responsibility:
- Engages with respective IT leadership, as well as broader business unit leadership to help manage IT-related spend in a continuously changing environment.
- Leads the large, complex sourcing and negotiation efforts as part of the category management plan, leveraging e-procurement tools, as applicable.
- Leads and manages sourcing teams, including multiple business units and other procurement resources.
- Manages RFI/RFP development, utilizing standards, as appropriate, while allowing for flexibility in addressing customer requirements. Manages the summary and analysis of responses to RFIs/RFPs.
- Meets annual category management objectives and targets related to spend under management, spend under contract and through approved buying channels, savings, and other efficiencies.
- Evaluates information gathered from multiple sources, reconciling conflicts, decomposing high-level information into details, developing spend analytics, abstract up from low-level information to a general understanding, and distinguishing user requests from the underlying true needs.
- Leads reporting efforts (spend, category, compliance, etc.) as required by the department and business clients.
- Stays current with IT industry trends, such as core function outsourcing (on-shore/off-shore), cloud environment solutions, telecommunication developments, enterprise resource planning software, and industry consolidation/merger risks, etc.
- Participates in software, hardware, services analysis, and selection. Provides industry perspective on shortlisted vendors.
- Demonstrates a solutions-based, customer service mindset, with the ability to lead and influence business stakeholders toward the department’s preferred methods for achieving common objectives.
- Possesses strong analytical and project management skills, including a thorough understanding of how to interpret business needs and translates them into application and operational requirements.
- Ensures the procure-to-pay process for the category is compliant and in-line with service levels.
- Builds and maintains key business unit and supplier relationships, finding common ground, resolving disputes, and driving innovation and continuous improvement.
- Facilitates compliance with AARP procurement policies and procedures by setting an example, educating partners, and appropriately escalating issues, when required or unsure.
- Sets a leadership example for the broader team -- teaching and mentoring peers and less-experienced team members, while promoting a learning environment.
- Leads department-wide initiatives beyond the scope of a given spend category, as directed.
- Executes supplier agreements (signing the contract) up to $250k in total value.
Educational Background:
Completion of a Bachelor’s degree (MBA preferred)
Skills/Experience:
- 5 or more years of relevant procurement experience – preferably with the majority in the private sector, with more than $50 million in managed spend. Must understand category management concepts and frameworks. Must show demonstrated leadership and a customer service mindset and a deep understanding of both the source-to-contract and procure-to-pay segments of procurement operations.
- Needs to have experience working with one or more e-procurement technologies and be adept at leading and managing sourcing events, including creating sourcing documents (RFx, evaluation matrices, sourcing plans, kick-off decks, etc.).
- Experience negotiating with major IT providers, such as Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, Deloitte, etc. is a plus.
- Demonstrated experience and understanding of IT professional services, software licensing, hardware, and maintenance buying strategies.
- Must demonstrate strong analytical skills and comfort with data manipulation and analysis.
- Deep strategic sourcing and contract negotiations experience, relationship management skills, executive presence, and analytical and strategic thinking.
Compensation/Benefits:
AARP offers competitive benefits with a 401K, 100% company funded pension plan, health, dental, vision and life insurance, STD/LTD, paid vacation and sick, and other benefits.
Job Function:
Organization Info
Listing Stats
Post Date:
Feb 23 2019
Active Until:
Mar 23 2019
Hiring Organization:
AARP
industry:
Nonprofit