Sr. Manager, Category Management (Indirect)

Position Overview

• Location Type: Not specified
• Job Type: Full time
• Salary: Not specified

Symbotic is seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Manager, Category Management, to lead sourcing strategy and supplier management for critical indirect spend categories, specifically enterprise IT (software, hardware, cloud services) and contingent labor/staff augmentation. This role involves cross-functional collaboration to develop scalable, cost-effective, and agile sourcing solutions that support innovation and operational excellence.

What We Do

Our global sourcing, procurement, and third-party supplier team develops innovative category management strategies in collaboration with the business. The team focuses on strategic third-party partner agreements, supplier relationship management, and commercial/financial pricing models to ensure overall supplier performance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute end-to-end category strategies for IT and contingent labor, aligning with business goals and scaling initiatives.
• Conduct market research, supplier segmentation, and benchmarking to inform strategy and sourcing decisions.
• Identify and drive cost savings and value creation opportunities via competitive bidding, supplier consolidation, contract optimization, and demand management.
• Establish and maintain strategic supplier relationships to ensure performance, service delivery, innovation, and alignment with company goals.
• Lead RFx processes (RFI, RFP, RFQ), contract negotiations, and vendor renewals for assigned categories.
• Partner with internal teams to evaluate supplier performance through KPIs, SLAs, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Work closely with IT leadership on sourcing enterprise software, SaaS platforms, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and professional services.
• Partner with HR and Engineering to manage sourcing strategies for contingent labor, including technical, operational, and project-based roles.
• Collaborate with Legal, Finance, Security, and Risk to ensure vendor compliance with regulatory, privacy, and cybersecurity standards.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and internal consultant on category management and procurement best practices.
• Lead cross-functional sourcing initiatives and influence decision-making at senior levels.
• Mentor and guide junior team members or project team contributors as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, IT, Human Resources, or a related field (MBA or advanced degree preferred).
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in strategic sourcing or category management, with 3+ years focused on IT and/or contingent labor.
• Experience in a fast-paced, technology-driven environment (automation, robotics, or industrial tech preferred).
• Strong expertise in IT procurement models (e.g., SaaS, cloud licensing, infrastructure) and staff augmentation practices.
• Exceptional negotiation, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficient in ERP and eProcurement systems (e.g., SAP), and contract lifecycle management tools.
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills; experience with data visualization tools such as Power BI or Tableau is a plus.

Our Environment

• Up to 10% of travel may be required.
• Employees must have a valid driver’s license and the ability to drive and/or fly to client and other customer locations.
• The employee is responsible for owning a credit card and managing expenses personally to be reimbursed on a bi-weekly basis.

About Symbotic

Symbotic is an automation technology leader reimagining the supply chain with its end-to-end, AI-powered robotic and software platform. Symbotic reinvents.