IT Category Manager – Strategic Sourcing & Vendor Management

At ERCOT, our diverse and dynamic work environment provides a platform on which employees can work together to build the future of the Texas power grid and wholesale market utilizing the latest technologies and resources. We encourage you to join our talented, dedicated workforce to develop world-class solutions for today and tomorrow’s energy challenges while learning new skills and growing your career. ERCOT is committed to fostering inclusion at all levels of our company. It is the cornerstone of our corporate values of accountability, leadership, innovation, trust, and expertise. We know that individuals with a wide variety of talents, ideas, and experiences propel the innovation that drives our success. An inclusive and diverse workforce strengthens us and allows for a collaborative environment to solve the challenges that face our industry today and in the future. JOB SUMMARY The IT Category Manager – Strategic Sourcing & Vendor Management is responsible for developing and executing category, sourcing, contracting, and vendor management strategies across assigned Information Technology spend categories. The position serves as a strategic commercial partner to IT leadership, Procurement, the Vendor Management Office (VMO), Cybersecurity, Legal, Finance, Enterprise Architecture, Third-Party Risk Management, and other business stakeholders. The role provides continuity across the full supplier lifecycle—from category strategy, market analysis, competitive sourcing and negotiation through contract execution, supplier governance, performance management, commercial optimization, risk management, renewal, and value realization. ADDITIONAL JOB DUTIES IT Category Management Develop and maintain multi-year sourcing and category strategies for assigned IT spend categories (software/SaaS, cloud, infrastructure, hardware, cybersecurity, telecommunications, professional services, and emerging technology), grounded in ongoing analysis of technology spend, supplier concentration, demand forecasts, market conditions, and sourcing opportunities. Identify opportunities for supplier consolidation, competition, standardization, cost optimization, demand management, and reduction of vendor lock-in, informed by current knowledge of technology markets, supplier capabilities, pricing models, and industry trends. Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Negotiation Lead competitive sourcing activities (RFPs, RFQs, supplier and commercial evaluations) and develop negotiation strategies for significant technology purchases, renewals, expansions, and enterprise agreements. Analyze proposals and alternative commercial structures — including subscription, consumption, enterprise licensing, committed spend, capacity-based, and other pricing models — at the SKU, product, service, rate-card, and total-cost levels. Perform market benchmarking and comparative commercial analysis to establish negotiation targets and leverage, partnering with Legal, Cybersecurity, Finance, Architecture, IT, TPRM, and business stakeholders throughout sourcing and contracting activities. IT Vendor Management Office Support Support governance of strategic and critical IT suppliers throughout the contract lifecycle, including scorecards, KPIs, SLAs, service performance measures, and contractual commitments. Facilitate or support supplier business reviews, QBRs, and executive governance meetings, monitoring supplier commitments, performance issues, corrective actions, and relationship health. Maintain visibility into strategic supplier relationships across contracts, business units, platforms, and services, and identify supplier dependencies, concentration risks, and potential vendor lock-in. Renewal & Commercial Lifecycle Management Maintain a forward-looking pipeline of significant IT contract renewals, expirations, and sourcing events, beginning strategic renewal planning early enough to preserve competition and negotiating leverage. Evaluate utilization, …

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