Category Manager Indirect

Effective Category Management is critical to the design and execution of our various sourcing projects. The successful candidate for this position will be expected to create and maintain the category management process for Technology spend. They will develop and maintain an effective view of our indirect categories, including Marketing & Sales, Legal, Facilities, Station Operations, Corporate, and other assigned categories, with suppliers across various subcategories. Attention to detail, a strong sense of curiosity, and powerful analytical skills will be essential components of success. This individual contributor role requires strong cross-functional leadership skills to achieve results.

Key Responsibilities

• Accomplishes results through the management of cross-functional Business Unit professional teams and departments.
• Responsible for end results of allocated workstreams; contributes to planning and policy within assigned areas.
• Integrates subject matter expertise and industry knowledge within a defined area.
• Contributes to the development of standards and operating practices.
• Plans and leads category projects, programs, and strategic initiatives related to Telecom, Broadcast Technology, and Information Technology spend.
• Administers and supports, as needed, all ad hoc sales calls and scheduling of single-use and full-time services across the TEGNA enterprise footprint.
• Manages all indirect category spend databases.
• Manages services, vendor relationships, and contracts that flow through the department via Operations, Sales, or customer requests.
• Provides indirect category quotes, conducts price negotiations, and completes order requests.
• Maintains reports on all sourcing requests, including:
  • Initial quotes
  • Inquiries
  • Business cases
  • Completed contracts
  • Supplier discontinuations
• Maintains a working knowledge of facilities within TEGNAs enterprise footprint.
• Travels occasionally between U.S.-based facilities as needed.
• Performs other responsibilities as assigned.
• Maintains rigor and thoroughness using best-in-class sourcing and procurement methodologies, including:
  • Seven-step strategic sourcing process
  • Baselining analysis
  • Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis
  • Other procurement best practices

Scope & Accountability

• Plans and leads key projects, programs, or strategic plans for assigned workstreams.
• Achieves success through leadership and motivation of Business Unit professionals.
• Manages a commodity workstream or portfolio.
• Leads a team of commodity and/or other professionals within Business Units.
• Accountable for achieving annual cost reduction targets.
• Manages regional and local supplier relationships and may contribute to components of global deals.
• Owns key business unit sourcing priorities for indirect categories.
• Manages all aspects of supplier performance and execution.

Major Responsibilities

• Maintains and improves operational quality, cost control, and efficiency.
• Ensures operational excellence and customer satisfaction metrics are achieved.
• Manages issue resolution and escalations.
• Develops sourcing strategies and conducts ongoing evaluations for key Business Unit product suppliers.
• Drives cost-reduction initiatives for key products and owns supplier pricing processes.
• Administers the supply base within assigned workstreams to:
  • Maintain annual supplier counts
  • Track expenditures
  • Manage new supplier approvals
  • Engage suppliers to support strategic initiatives
• Actively manages and champions key procurement initiatives as assigned.

Required Experience

• 36 years of category management experience (including Marketing & Sales, Legal, Facilities, Corporate, and other assigned indirect categories) within a procurement or strategic sourcing function.
• Experience leading a category team to drive savings, optimize the supply base, and achieve measurable results.
• Demonstrated success achieving cost reductions through target setting and execution for more than $15 million in category spend.
• Procurement project management experience.

Preferred Experience

• More than 6 years of category management experience in indirect categories (including Marketing & Sales, Legal, Facilities, Corporate, and other assigned categories) within a procurement or strategic sourcing function.
• Experience managing Telecom, Broadcast Technology, Hardware, Software, and Services categories.
• Experience leading a category team to drive savings, optimize the supply base, and achieve results.
• Demonstrated achievement of cost reduction targets across $10 million to $90 million in category spend.
• 510 years of procurement project management experience.

Skills, Education, and Certifications Required

• Bachelors degree in Business, Finance, or a related field.
• Experience working with a technology or broadcast company.

Skills, Education, and Certifications Preferred

• Bachelors degree in Business or Finance, plus an MBA.
• More than 10 years of experience working with a technology or broadcast company.