IT Category Manager

Company: CGL
Department: Enterprise Transformation Office
Employment Type: Regular Full-Time
Work Model: Hybrid
Language: This role operates in English.

The Opportunity:

We are a leading Canadian financial services co-operative committed to being a catalyst for a sustainable and resilient society and our team is essential to deliver on this strategy. That’s why we prioritize our people, to ensure we provide a strong culture and development opportunities which enables our team to thrive and to live our purpose. The best part is that you will work with people that care passionately about you, our clients, and our communities. Our national Procurement team aspires to provide support and expertise to our business partners to enable their success. We think innovatively and work collaboratively to deliver flexible and sustainable solutions and are committed to adding value beyond expectation. 

Our national Procurement and Workplace Services team aspires to provide support and expertise to our business partners to enable their success. We think innovatively and work collaboratively to deliver flexible and sustainable solutions and are committed to adding value beyond expectation.

The IT Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing strategic sourcing initiatives across IT-related spend categories, including software, hardware, telecom, and IT services. This role focuses on managing vendor relationships, negotiating contracts, ensuring compliance with procurement policies, and driving cost savings. The IT Category Manager collaborates closely with internal stakeholders to understand business needs and align procurement activities to organizational goals. 

How you will create impact:

• Implement category strategies for IT spend, including, but not limited to software, hardware, telecom, SaaS/IaaS/PaaS and IT professional services, aligning with organizational objectives.
• Proactively conduct market intelligence and share knowledge, insight and advice with businesses contributing to the development of the annual pipeline of sourcing initiatives, integrating with the financial planning process.
• Lead initiatives to optimize sourcing processes, improve service levels, and reduce total cost of ownership.
• Lead contract negotiations to secure favorable terms on cost, quality, and delivery timelines.
• Work with Contract Management, Legal, Finance, Vendor Risk Management and Vendor Management Office teams and internal Subject Matter Experts (SME) to ensure contract compliance and mitigate risks.
• Manage contract renewals, amendments, and ensure continuity of supply.
• Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities through vendor consolidation, renegotiation, and value engineering.
• Identify new supplier opportunities and manage RFPs and competitive bidding processes.

How you will succeed:

• You have an innovative mindset to improve operational efficiencies and ability to influence change, with a primary focus on client needs.    

• You use critical thinking skills to recognize assumptions, evaluate arguments, draw conclusions and proactively propose solutions.  

• You have strong communication skills to clearly convey messages and explore diverse points of view.   

• You build trusting relationships and provide guidance to support the development of colleagues. 

• You are organized and able to prioritize tasks according to business priorities, keeping accurate control and updates related to all initiatives led by the sourcing team.
• You manage stakeholder expectations by providing updates about project progress, helping to build trust and a solid relationship with our partners.

To join our team:

• You have a bachelor’s degree in business, IT, social sciences. Previous experience working in Insurance and Financial services is an asset.
• You have 5 years of experience in IT Procurement.
• You use critical thinking skills to recognize assumptions, evaluate arguments, draw conclusions and proactively propose solutions. 
• You have expertise in RFx development, spend analysis, and market benchmarking to identify cost-saving opportunities and ensure competitive pricing.
• You have experience in strategic sourcing especially Category management and supporting Cost management programs.
• You have Knowledge of procurement processes, contract negotiation, and vendor management, with a specific focus on IT products and services.
• You have strong stakeholder management skills are essential to collaborate with finance, legal, and IT departments, ensuring procurement decisions support business objectives and deliver measurable ROI.

What you need to know:

• You will travel occasionally.  
• You will be subject to a Background check as a condition of employment, in the event you are the successful candidate.

What's in it for you?

• Training and development opportunities to grow your career. 

• Flexible work options to support personal and family needs. 

• A holistic approach to your well-being, with physical and mental health programs and a supportive workplace culture. 

• Paid volunteer days to give back to your community.

• In addition to our competitive salary and incentive programs, eligible employees also benefit from a comprehensive total rewards package including group retirement savings plans, pension and benefits (e.g., health and wellness, dental, disability and life coverage), mental health support and an employee assistance program.