Category Lead

About the role

This role emphasizes when and why to go to market, how to structure the existing vendor ecosystems, and how to continuously improve performance across categories. The Category Lead is accountable for category performance, vendor outcomes, and strategic alignment across assigned business functions.

Key Accountabilities

• Category & Strategy Leadership: Own and evolve category strategies aligned to business objectives, financial targets, and risk frameworks; use market intelligence, supplier insights, and internal data to shape proactive plans and sourcing approaches; identify opportunities to consolidate vendors, optimize demand, and improve overall category performance.
• Strategic Sourcing Integration: Lead RFx strategies (RFI/RFP/RFQ) tied to category plans; partner with ES&P peers and business stakeholders to structure deals, negotiate outcomes, and align contracts to business value from a pre-sale position (commercial contract experience is nice to have but not required as contracting is managed by a separate function); apply best-practice sourcing levers such as benchmarking, competitive analysis, and pricing models to improve outcomes without increasing process burden.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Leverage spend data, market insights, and performance metrics to lead decisions and prioritize actions; develop reporting on savings, value realization, and service performance; leverage market insights, spend data, and vendor performance metrics to inform strategy, prioritize actions, and drive measurable outcomes.
• Business Partnership & Advisory: Serve as the primary strategic interface between business stakeholders and vendor ecosystem; translate business needs into category strategies, sourcing approaches, and vendor actions; influence senior leaders through data-driven insights and forward-looking recommendations.
• Vendor Lifecycle & Performance Management: Maintain vendor scorecards, SLAs, and performance dashboards to ensure strong service delivery and accountability for strategic vendors; report on broader vendor portfolio ticket performance; drive continuous improvement, innovation, and remediation plans with vendors; facilitate Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and ongoing strategic engagement with strategic vendors.
• Risk, Compliance & Governance: Ensure vendor and category alignment with contractual obligations, regulatory requirements, and risk frameworks identified during pre and post contracting audit; monitor compliance, manage audit findings, and mitigate risks across the category; partner with internal teams (Risk, Compliance, Legal) to ensure consistent governance.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field
• 8+ years of experience in vendor management, sourcing, or procurement (combination is acceptable)
• Strong understanding of vendor lifecycle management and sourcing principles
• Experience partnering with cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders
• Proven ability to influence decisions and deliver measurable business outcomes
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills with internal and vendor executives
• Industry experience in healthcare, fintech, or technology (preferred)
• Knowledge of compliance- and regulatory-heavy functions (Fraud, Payments, Compliance, Information Security) is a plus

Preferred Qualifications

• Can connect market dynamics, vendor performance, and business goals
• Builds trust with stakeholders and vendor executives
• Understands pricing, contracts, and value levers
• Uses analytics to lead decisions and tell a compelling story
• Drives outcomes while managing competing priorities
• Thrives in a transforming, evolving operating model
• Experience with Zip Procurement, Workday, Microsoft Products, including Power BI

Schedule & Location

• Office role requiring onsite work an average of 3 days per week
• Open to candidates near Minnetonka, MN, or Madison, WI

Pay

• Full salary grade: $88,800 - $152,300
• Typical hiring range: $88,800 - $133,245 (placement depends on education, experience, certifications, scope, internal equity, and market data)

Benefits

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off (PTO), holidays, and paid volunteer time off
• 401K contributions
• Caregiver services