Sr. Manager, Category Manager, Labor & Professional Services

Position OverviewEstablishes governance frameworks and sourcing standards for major professional services firms, and in contingent labor engagements across the enterprise.Drives supplier rationalization and preferred supplier strategies for consulting firms, staffing agencies, and outsourced labor providers.Evaluates and creates fit-for-purpose workforce operating models, including direct supplier management, VMS-enabled programs, or scaled MSP partnerships based on organizational size and spend profile.Owns a complex, high‑spend category (or portfolio) with global scope and enterprise impact.Leads cross‑functional project teams and external partners to deliver multi‑year roadmaps and operating model changes.Primary procurement voice with senior/executive stakeholders; presents at executive committees.Shapes policy, standards, and governance; mentors and develops the category talent bench.Ensures category plans reflect stakeholder goals, market dynamics, and supplier capabilitiesInfluences functional leaders; presents recommendations and status at leadership forums.Champions adoption of preferred suppliers, standards, and policies across the business.Leverages analysis to shape strategic insights and market intelligence frameworks that inform category strategy, RFx prioritization, supplier negotiations, and contract termsScrutinizes variable and complex data to identify and prioritize sourcing and planning opportunities that drive competitive advantage and long-term valueLeads sourcing waves and supplier business reviews; accountable for savings and value realization. Key Responsibilities Enterprise Strategy & Value CreationCraft and socialize a bold, evidence‑based multi‑year category strategy tied to enterprise goals (growth, productivity, risk, ESG). Possible areas of opportunity:Management consultingTemporary staffingStatement-of-work (SOW) servicesIndependent contractor engagementsWorkforce solutions/MSP programsDevelop labor rate benchmarking frameworks and market intelligence to improve rate competitiveness, geographic alignment, and workforce planning decisions.Identify opportunities to reduce unmanaged spend, rogue staffing engagements, mark-up inconsistencies, and duplicate supplier utilization.Identify and deliver step‑change value levers (portfolio simplification, demand challenge, supplier ecosystem redesign, digital automation).Stand up structured value tracking with Finance; validate and publish results to executives.Build and maintain a living category strategy (demand, market, supplier, risk, and should-cost).Translate strategy into an annual sourcing wave plan and prioritized contract pipeline with mitigation actions for expirations/renewals.Owns data quality across procurement systems (e.g., sourcing, CLM, P2P) and audit readiness recordsReviews and performs analytics and market research that inform strategic planning decisions, RFx, negotiation prep, and category directionManage intake queue; validate requirements; set expectations on timelines and next stepsMaintain project trackers, savings logs, contract records, and supplier profiles for audit readinessCreate, refresh, publish, and communicate preferred supplier lists and engagement playbooks Critical Sourcing & Complex NegotiationLead negotiations involving:SOW commercial structuresRate card & labor mix structuresVolume discountsDelivery accountabilityStaffing markups & conversion feesSupplier tiering modelsEvaluate and negotiate VMS platform solutions and workforce operating models appropriate for organizational scale, complexity, and spend maturity in the labor space.Conduct in-depth market analysis to inform RFx development, supplier negotiations, and contract termsIdentify and prioritize sourcing opportunities that drive competitive advantage and long-term valueOwn and drive marquee RFx/sole‑source events and renewals with enterprise‑wide implications; negotiate creative commercial constructs (risk‑share, outcome‑based, gainshare). Supplier Partnership, Innovation, & Risk ManagementChair executive governance with strategic consultancy partnerships; sponsor joint innovation roadmaps and transformation programs.Collaborate with HR and other governance areas to manage labor supplier performance across metrics such as fill rates, cycle times, attrition, quality of talent, compliance adherence, and stakeholder satisfaction.Partner with HR Legal and Finance/Accounting to mitigate worker misclassification risks and ensure contingent workforce governance aligns with applicable labor regulations globally.Oversee risk management for the portfolio (cyber, supply continuity, financial, regulatory, ESG) with proactive mitigation and incident response.Segment suppliers (Tier 1/2) and implement governance (QBRs/ABRs, scorecards, corrective actions).Perform AQSCIR assessments for key suppliersLead supplier steering committees to drive collaboration, performance improvement, and risk mitigationDrive adoption of preferred suppliers and manage change communication effectively Operational Excellence & GovernanceEstablish enterprise-wide standards for services usage such as:Rate card managementSOW approvalsSupplier onboardingHeadcount visibilityContractor tenure monitoringPartner cross-functionally to design scalable contingent labor intake, approval, and tracking processes that balance governance with business agility.Elevate standards, templates, and systems; automate analytics and reporting; ensure data fidelity and audit readiness.Continuously improve ways of working across Legal, Security/Privacy, Finance/AP, and business units.Track cost savings and avoidance progress against targets and pipeline forecasts Stakeholder EngagementPartner closely with HR, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Legal, and critical functional business leaders to assure governance and align workforce sourcing strategies with organizational priorities.Map stakeholder ecosystems and develop engagement strategies based on influence, impact, and business needsAct as a strategic advisor helping stakeholders determine the most appropriate engagement model for external advisory and/or labor needs.Engage stakeholders to understand business requirements, pain points, and future needsMaintain a cadence of meetings and communications with key stakeholders and their leadership teamsAct as a trusted advisor and liaison between procurement and business unitsCommunicate clearly and professionally across all channels (in-person meetings, email, video calls), tailoring messages to diverse audiences Financial PerformanceDeliver measurable value through enterprise professional services governance/negotiation, labor rate and markup optimization, supplier consolidation, etc.Analyze labor spend trends, rate inflation, utilization patterns, and supplier concentration risks to support budgeting and workforce planning decisions.Engage consistently with Finance and stakeholders in the budgeting process, aligning procurement plans with financial goals.Coordinate with Finance for savings tracking and bottom-line impact protection.Deliver measurable cost savings and avoidance, tracking progress against targets and pipeline forecastsApply Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis to sourcing decisions and supplier evaluationsOptimize contract value through improved terms, pricing structures, and performance incentives Leadership & ChangeMentor and support a matrixed and cross-functional team of procurement professionals and governance partners to build skills and succession; promote a high‑performance, inclusive culture.Design and execute change management and communications for enterprise rollouts; craft executive narratives and decision memos. QualificationsRequired:· Bachelor’s degree required in supply chain, finance, project management, or related field.· 8-10+ years of experience , heavy in managing large/complex Professional Services and/or Contingent Labor categories in a strategic sourcing or category management environment.· Strong understanding of “Big Four” service provider ecosystem and workforce operating models including supplier-direct programs, VMS tools, and MSP solutions.· Demonstrated executive communication and storytelling skills; track record influencing VP/C‑suite decisions.· Expert fluency in benchmarking, TCO, complex contracting, commercial strategy, and supplier performance governance at scale.· Expert analytical skills with working knowledge of procure-to-pay, RFx processes, and contract basics/playbooks.Sills and Competency:Core:· Composure in high-visibility and executive environments.· Strategic thinking and structured problem solving; ability think upstream and downstream to frame choices and drive decisions.· Executive presence; concise narrative building; board‑quality materials.· Proven ability to build strong stakeholder relationships and influence at all levels· Influencing without authority; stakeholder alignment and change management.· Financial acumen (budget alignment, forecasting, value realization). Technical:· Deep understanding of contingent labor pricing models, staffing markups, blended rate structures, and consulting commercial models.· Ability to discern workforce data such as fill rates, time-to-fill, geographic benchmarking, attrition, etc.· Sophisticated financial modeling (TCO/NPV, scenario analysis, indexation, benchmarking).· Design of KPIs, supplier incentives, and performance regimes; SRM maturity models.· Category strategy toolkits; RFx design; commercial modeling (price ladders, indices, incentives).· Deep fluency in complex contracting (MSAs, SOWs, data protection, service levels, audit/benchmarking clauses). Work Model & Travel· Hybrid role based in Mesa, Arizona with standard business hours. Occasional domestic or global travel (<10%)