Sr. Manager, Procurement & Category Management – Marketing & Business Services

About the job

Manager of Procurement & Category Management - Marketing & Business Services owns sourcing and category strategy across assigned Marketing and Business Services categories. Own category strategy for Marketing and Business Services spend. Build multi-year roadmaps balancing cost, impact, quality, innovation, agility, service, and risk. Partner with senior Global Marketing and Business Services Procurement, Marketing, Brand, Sales, Human Resources, Finance, Legal, Real Estate, Facilities, and others to align strategies to AOP and long-term priorities. Develop deep understanding of category spend, specifications, demand drivers, supplier landscapes, agency and service-provider economics, market dynamics, and emerging category trends. Lead annual and in-year sourcing initiatives, including RFI, RFP, supplier selection, negotiation, contracting, implementation, and benefits realization across assigned categories. Design fit-for-purpose commercial models, scopes of work, rate cards, fee structures, performance incentives, indexation, and consumption controls that improve transparency and value. Identify and deliver sustainable productivity, cash, demand management, supplier consolidation, specification optimization, process efficiency, and cost-avoidance opportunities. Balance value with impact, quality, speed, stakeholder experience, continuity, and service performance. Bring external intelligence and benchmark to models, content production, AI-enabled marketing, professional services, labor markets, travel, real estate, facilities, and other services into category strategy and negotiations. Establish strategic supplier governance through segmentation, scorecards, business reviews, continuous improvement plans, innovation agendas, corrective actions, and escalation protocols. Develop executive relationships with strategic agencies and service providers to drive innovation, service improvement, risk reduction, and long-term value creation. Strengthen contract coverage and compliance, including clear deliverables, service levels, intellectual property, data and privacy requirements, audit rights, business continuity, payment terms, and performance remedies in partnership with Legal and key stakeholders. Mitigate supplier and service risk through due diligence, financial and operational risk assessments, contingency planning, responsible sourcing, and continuity plans for critical services. Improve spend visibility, pipeline management, forecast accuracy, supplier data, and contract compliance through procurement systems, sourcing platforms, and analytics tools. Lead Marketing and Business Services procurement transformation initiatives that simplify ways of working, improve stakeholder adoption, and position Procurement as an early strategic partner. Build and develop a high-performing team, fostering capability growth, engagement, accountability, collaboration, and succession readiness. Champion collaboration across Procurement and business functions to ensure effective execution, measurable outcomes, and sustainable results. Delivery of annual productivity, cost avoidance, cash, and value creation against AOP. Bachelor's degree required, preferably in Supply Chain Management, Business, Marketing, Finance, Economics, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred. 8+ years of progressive procurement, strategic sourcing, category management, or related commercial experience, including leadership responsibility in complex, matrixed organizations. Demonstrated experience developing and executing category strategies across Marketing, Business Services, Professional Services, or closely related indirect categories. Working knowledge of marketing agency and production ecosystems, service-provider economics, scopes of work, rate cards, fee structures, and commercial frameworks. Proven record leading complex sourcing events and negotiating services agreements with measurable financial, service, and business outcomes. Strong financial, analytical, and commercial acumen with the ability to translate business needs, spend data, and market intelligence into sourcing strategies and measurable results. Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders, challenge constructively, and lead cross-functional initiatives without relying solely on formal authority. Experience building and developing high-performing teams and leading change in a fast-paced environment. Strong executive communication, negotiation, supplier relationship management, and project management skills. Ability to operate effectively through ambiguity, balance competing priorities, and make sound decisions with incomplete information. Experience with SAP, e-sourcing and contracting platforms, and spend analytics tools such as Power BI preferred. CPG, food and beverage, consumer products, retail, or other brand-led enterprise experience strongly preferred; CPSM, CIPS, or related professional certification a plus.