Category Sourcing Manager

3+ years of strategic sourcing/procurement experience within an R&D organization or supporting scientific services spend.

Demonstrated experience running end-to-end sourcing events (RFx), negotiating terms, and documenting savings/value.

Working knowledge of contracts and common scientific-services commercial structures (rate cards, milestone-based SOWs, T&M, change controls).

Proficiency with MS Office Suite; experience with procurement/ERP tools such as Oracle and/or SAP, Ariba (CatMan), Spend Control Tower, and BI/reporting tools.

Serve as the primary point of contact for internal customers: identify potential vendors, analyze competitive bids, negotiate costs and terms, document competitive/negotiated savings, and recommend the appropriate purchasing method.

Drive vendor strategies and cost-savings initiatives across assigned scientific-services categories (e.g., CRO/contract research services and regulatory outsourced services such as translations).

Issue RFQs/RFPs to approved suppliers; coordinate stakeholder -supplier Q&A; and compile side-by-side bid comparisons (pricing structure, timelines, assumptions/exclusions, and risk/capacity signals).

Manage supplier relationships by coordinating regular business reviews, vendor presentations, performance discussions, and acting as the main communications point of contact.

Interface with external partners to troubleshoot business, service, and relationship issues to ensure contractual obligations and service levels are met.

Support development of a competitive vendor base to create and sustain advantage for VMRD and better leverage external spend.