Category Manager
Make an impact and love what you do! Vertafore is a top provider of software for the insurance industry that keeps transforming. We create award-winning solutions to boost productivity, lower costs and help agents and carriers grow their businesses. We respect and value our team, and we look to bring the best talent together to make our future even stronger.
This role is responsible for managing strategic procurement categories for various internal business units with primary focus on the Sales & Marketing, Finance, Facilities and Legal services areas. This role will be directly involved in identifying potential areas for cost reductions and savings, and will interact with all levels of management including senior management and suppliers.
Duties:
- Act as lead negotiator with suppliers on procurement projects for assigned commodities. Negotiate both pricing and terms and conditions and mitigate risks through the drafting of basic business terms.
- Work within internal business unit requirements and lead the entire bidding process; assist internal clients with searching source of supply
- Manage the development of Information/Quotation/Proposal; develop evaluation matrix for supplier selection; negotiate and draft contracts and facilitate the supplier award process.
- Responsible for negotiating and maintaining agreements; handle contract management; engage with business units in the contracting process for new purchases and renewals.
- Review budget with team and define potential process improvement opportunities from both internal and external perspectives.
- Apply specific category knowledge to sourcing strategies to oversee the development and sourcing of products/services and provide flexible options to meet within budget requirements.
- Develop annual cost savings/cost avoidance goals with the team.
- Maintain and grow key business partner relationships with internal clients; influence key stakeholders at all levels of the organization by collaboration development of sourcing strategies with driving change and executing strategy throughout the organization.
- Review and assess product/service needs and ensure the alignment of the procurement programs to the Company's strategic, business and product plans.
- Measure and Monitor supplier performance and ensure timely delivery and quality of services; resolve supplier disputes and performance issues.
- Contribute to and comply with procurement initiatives.
- Manage purchase requisitions and purchase order process; as assigned, provide training and instructions to system users as appropriate.
- Maintain and update automated contract management repository ensuring documents are complete.
Vertafore is about bringing together top talent to make an immediate impact in software. Our culture encourages employees who are able to create, think and challenge each other in a fast-paced environment. We are transforming our products and services, exploiting advanced techniques to create new "ways and means" for the insurance industry, and with that the industry is changing too.
Vertafore strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law equal employment.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's Degree in Business, Engineering, Information Technology or equivalent.
- Minimum of 3 years of procurement and contracts negotiation experience. Preferred nationally/internationally recognized Professional Certification (CPSM, CPM, CPCM or equivalent) or courses/certificates in procurement; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Proven track record of identifying and implementing costs savings.
- Strong contracting drafting skills.
- Experience managing business requirements and leading projects.
- Strong knowledge of procurement tools, automation and operations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to clearly and concisely communicate information at multiple levels, adapting easily to change.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Exceptional customer service skills and the ability to build effective working relations with clients and colleagues.
- This position will have no direct reports.