Procurement Category Lead

About the role

We are seeking candidates for a Procurement Category Lead position with a highly successful financial services firm located in Boston, MA. The Procurement Category Lead will join the Global Professional Services Procurement team. This role combines hands-on strategic sourcing leadership with category strategy development across key professional services areas including Consulting, Marketing, HR, and Legal. This individual will bring deep sourcing expertise and best-in-class procurement practices to manage end-to-end sourcing, negotiations, and supplier engagement, while also contributing to the development and execution of category strategies that deliver cost savings and operational efficiency. This is a 6-month contract position.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end sourcing for Professional Services (Consulting, Marketing, HR, Legal).
• Manage RFx processes, competitive bidding, and complex contract negotiations.
• Partner with legal to ensure contract compliance and execute preferred supplier programs, pricing, and rate cards.
• Drive cost savings, P&L impact, and operational efficiencies through strategic sourcing and demand management.
• Negotiate complex commercial agreements with large professional service providers.
• Conduct spend analysis, supplier performance reviews, and multi-year category strategy development.
• Manage multiple sourcing projects, cross-functional teams, and internal client relationships.
• Oversee supplier onboarding, preferred supplier relationships, and procurement issue resolution.
• Maintain compliance with regulatory, procurement policies, and internal processes; identify process improvements.
• Support development and mentorship of team members.
• Contribute significantly to P&L savings and cost avoidance initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred.
• 8-10+ years of strategic sourcing experience, specifically within Professional Services procurement.
• Experience sourcing across one or more of the following categories: Consulting, HR, Marketing, or Legal services.
• Demonstrated success delivering cost savings and P&L impact through strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Strong commercial negotiation skills with the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Proven experience negotiating with large professional services providers.
• Experience developing and executing category strategies.
• Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong understanding of procurement best practices, risk management, information security, and payables processes.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills. Ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships diplomatically.

Pay

$70-74/hr (depending on experience)

Schedule

40-hour workweek; required onsite 4 days per week.