[Hiring] Manager, Technology Category Management @Cencora

Role Description

The Manager, Technology Category Management executes category strategy and sourcing activity for assigned technology spend within one of three categories: Hardware/Telecom/Cloud, Software, or Technology Services. The role identifies, negotiates and delivers productivity, manages supplier relationships, and partners with business and IT stakeholders to capture value. The Manager partners with peer category leads and may guide analysts supporting the category. This role is critical to delivering savings, risk reduction and supplier performance for the enterprise.

Responsibilities

• Category execution: Manage category strategies, sourcing plans and pipeline priorities for assigned spend areas, aligned with business demand, service, quality and cost objectives; develop the annual plan for assigned spend and contribute to the broader category plan.
• Productivity identification: Analyze spend, demand and market data to identify productivity (cost savings and cost avoidance) opportunities such as consolidation, demand management, renegotiation, rate and license optimization and process improvement; maintain the opportunity pipeline for assigned spend.
• Sourcing and negotiation: Lead sourcing events, supplier evaluations, negotiations and award recommendations to secure commercial value and category continuity within policy and control requirements; manage contracts within delegated authority and escalate complex or high-value commercial and contractual issues to the Director.
• Contract expertise: MSA, Saas, Cloud Agreements and demonstrate expertise in technology contract terms (pricing models, licensing rights, IP etc..), governance practices to ensure compliance to maximize long term value.
• Productivity delivery: Deliver negotiated productivity through realization, validating savings against baseline spend with Finance, driving implementation and business adoption of negotiated terms, and tracking benefits to completion.
• Supplier management: Manage supplier performance, contract compliance and issue resolution to address service, quality, risk and supply concerns; run supplier reviews, track SLAs and KPIs, and flag financial and cyber risk.
• Stakeholder coordination: Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders (business, IT, Legal, Finance, Security, Regional Sourcing/Country Leads) to align requirements, specifications, timelines and handoffs; serve as primary contact with business and vendor counterparts for assigned spend and provide timely status updates with risks and recommendations to the Director.
• Budget and savings tracking: Manage budgets, savings tracking and delivery plans for assigned spend using financial, capacity and quality metrics; report performance to the Director and leadership.
• Market insight: Maintain current knowledge of market trends, emerging technologies (e.g., cloud, AI, cybersecurity) and vendor capabilities to inform sourcing approaches and negotiation positions.
• MA&D support: Support MA&D and corporate initiatives, including vendor overlap and synergy analysis, due diligence, Day-1 readiness and post-transaction integration or separation.
• Process improvement: Contribute to process improvements, onboarding, cross-training and local standardization efforts; follow and help maintain category policies, procedures and playbooks, and support adoption of approved tools and practices.
• Team guidance: Provide day-to-day guidance and coaching to analysts and other team members on analysis, sourcing events and best practices; support clear routines, accountability and escalation paths.

Category Focus

• Hardware / Telecom / Cloud: end-user and data center hardware, networking, telecom and carrier services, public cloud and hosting (IaaS/PaaS), consumption and commitment models (e.g., EDP/MACC, reserved capacity).
• Software: enterprise, SaaS and infrastructure software; licensing models, renewals, true-ups and audits; platform and ecosystem vendors (ERP, security, data, collaboration, AI).
• Technology Services: IT consulting, systems integration, application development and managed services, staff augmentation, outsourcing and offshore delivery models.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Information Technology or related field; MBA preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, category management or procurement, with at least 3 years focused on technology categories; experience in the assigned category (hardware/telecom/cloud, software or technology services) required.
• Demonstrated success negotiating technology contracts and delivering measurable savings.
• Working knowledge of technology commercial models (licensing, subscription, consumption, SOW/T&M/fixed-price, SLAs) and related risk, data privacy and security considerations.
• Strong analytical skills; proficiency with spend analytics and sourcing tools (e.g., Ariba, Power BI, Excel).
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills; ability to influence business and IT stakeholders.
• Experience guiding or mentoring team members preferred; formal people management not required.
• Experience with MA&D sourcing support, and healthcare, pharma or other regulated industry, is a plus.
• Professional certification (CPSM, CPP, ISM or similar) a plus.

Benefits

• Compensation, benefits, and resources that enable a highly inclusive culture.
• Traditional offerings like medical, dental, and vision care.
• Comprehensive suite of benefits focusing on physical, emotional, financial, and social wellness.
• Support for working families, including backup dependent care, adoption assistance, infertility coverage, family building support, behavioral health solutions, paid parental leave, and paid caregiver leave.
• Variety of training programs, professional development resources, and opportunities to participate in mentorship programs, employee resource groups, volunteer activities, and much more.

Company Description

Cencora is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or membership in any other class protected by federal, state or local law.

The company’s continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of qualified individuals. Therefore, harassment is prohibited and all matters related to recruiting, training, compensation, benefits, promotions and transfers comply with equal opportunity principles and are non-discriminatory.

Cencora is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the employment process which are consistent with legal requirements.