•Develop and drive 1–3 year category strategies for all Technology & Corporate Services spend areas.
•Identify priority projects, set cost reduction targets, and outline sourcing plans for sub-categories (e.g., IT software, consulting services, facilities management).
•Update strategies based on market trends and business objectives, ensuring alignment with stakeholders’ needs.
•Collect input from internal stakeholders and sourcing specialists to inform the strategy.
•Secure stakeholder buy-in for implementation.
•Lead major strategic sourcing initiatives, including preparing and issuing RFP/RFQ packages, evaluating supplier proposals, and conducting final negotiations.
•Utilize data and analytics to compare scenarios and supplier offers, always considering the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and contractual risks before making decisions.
•Negotiate high-value contracts with key suppliers, aiming for best-in-class terms on pricing, service levels, and risk allocation.
•Leverage advanced negotiation strategies and creativity (such as multi-year cost modeling and performance-based incentives) to achieve outcomes that drive cost savings and added value.
•Oversee contract finalization in collaboration with Legal after negotiations, ensuring agreements protect the company’s interests and comply with corporate policies.
•Serve as the primary liaison to business units for all procurement needs in technology and corporate service domains.
•Engage regularly with stakeholders at all levels—including IT project managers, department heads, VP-level executives, and C-suite sponsors—to fully understand their requirements, timelines, and pain points.
•Provide expert advice and market insights to help stakeholders make informed decisions (e.g., recommending spend consolidation across departments to achieve better pricing).
•Influence without formal authority by building trust and demonstrating procurement’s value, such as persuading business leaders to adjust deadlines for competitive bidding that results in significant cost savings.
•Keep stakeholders informed about sourcing plans and progress, while effectively managing expectations when urgent needs must be balanced against optimal procurement processes.
•Act as a trusted advisor and business partner to secure stakeholder support for procurement initiatives and ensure compliance with procurement policies.
•Oversee the company’s relationships with major suppliers in the technology and corporate services categories.
•Implement Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) practices to monitor performance, resolve issues, and identify continuous improvement opportunities.
•Conduct regular business reviews with key vendors (e.g., top IT suppliers, critical service providers) to assess performance against SLAs and KPIs, and drive corrective actions or innovative solutions as needed.
•Mitigate supplier risks by diversifying the supply base where appropriate, and ensure contingency plans are established for critical services.
•Champion initiatives that deliver value beyond cost, such as fostering longer-term partnerships, encouraging supplier-led innovation, or driving process improvements that benefit the company.
•Stay informed on supplier market dynamics (including mergers, financial stability, and new entrants) to proactively address risks or capitalize on opportunities.
•Ensure suppliers consistently meet quality and timeliness expectations, even under tight deadlines, and optimize the balance between cost, quality, and speed in supplier engagements.
•Ensure all procurement activities in the category comply with company policies and ethical standards.
•Enforce competitive bidding requirements, approval workflows, and contract approval procedures.
•Address any compliance issues promptly, serving as a role model for integrity and fairness in all dealings.
•Seek ways to streamline procurement processes and incorporate best practices from leading companies.
•Implement or improve e-sourcing tools, standardize contract templates for faster negotiations, and introduce spend analytics dashboards for better decision-making.
•Stay informed on industry best practices in strategic sourcing and apply those to modernize the procurement function.
•Drive process improvements to increase the procurement team’s efficiency and agility in responding to business needs, such as reducing the RFP cycle time without compromising thoroughness.
•Lead and mentor procurement team members supporting the category (e.g., the Senior Sourcing Specialist).
•Set clear goals and project priorities for the team, providing regular coaching and feedback.
•Develop specialists’ skills in areas such as analytical cost modeling, negotiation tactics, stakeholder communication, and vendor management by sharing best practices and experiences.
•Encourage a culture of continuous learning – for instance, by providing opportunities for the specialist to take ownership of a sub-category strategy or lead smaller negotiations, under your guidance.
•Monitor workload and help prioritize tasks, especially when urgent requests arise, to ensure the team remains effective and focused.
•Mentor specialists to potentially backfill the Category Manager role in the future, building a strong talent pipeline. This includes: delegating increasing responsibilities as appropriate, and offering career development support.
•Foster high performance, collaboration, and adaptability within the team through your leadership.
•Ensure any direct reports understand and apply our Customer Commitment and customer service standards to their daily responsibilities as appropriate.
•Model Allegiant’s customer service standards in personal actions and when providing leadership direction.
•Other duties as assigned.