Consultant, Procurement Category Management | Technology

As a Category Manager, you'll be responsible for managing complex, primarily indirect categories of spend, leading the category/supplier segmentation and strategy development efforts, supporting the development of the procurement strategy by facilitating and influencing alignment between Technology, Business and Financial, and driving the category strategies through the Procurement team to ensure contracts execute in alignment to a strategy.

This role will support the Property and Casualty Technology Organization, through development of strategies related to software and other technology, while maintaining lowest total cost and highest quality and service. 

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Development of category strategies which maximize customer value leveraging a continuous improvement structure

• Create, and implement strong communication plans to achieve positive outcomes for individual contracting events and the categories as a whole

• Develop and execute leverage management strategies for individual negations

• Develop and implement cost-based reduction strategies capable of delivering annual target savings

• Execute annual cost savings, cash improvement and action plans to deliver the corporate and business objectives for year over year improvement

• Monitor the use of appropriate KPI’s to measure and improve the effectiveness of the key elements of the category strategies and supplier performance

• Responsible for supporting supplier partnerships through activities such as, identifying alternative suppliers, marketing analysis, risk mitigation, performance management and category innovation

• Idea generation for new innovations (end to end) in their category to make sure it meets the timeline, includes critical terms and conditions, minimizes risks, leverages marketplace shifts and maximizes value

• Benchmark historical performance and forecast future price movements, communicating necessary adjustments to plan

• Identify and execute Procurement strategies such as payment term improvements, consolidation of supply base, channel optimization, etc.

• Create and present executive summaries to the most senior leaders in Technology and Business organizations, highlighting trends, issues and opportunities

• Develop pipeline reporting and PowerPoint decks for and facilitate internal Contract governance meetings

This role does not qualify for employer-sponsored work authorization. Nationwide does not participate in the Stem OPT Extension program.

This role is hybrid to the Columbus OH offices, anticipated to be in the office once or twice a week.

Compensation Grade: G3

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Job Description Summary

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Partners and collaborates with Business Partners, Finance, Technology and other Procurement team members to manage new sourcing requests, current contract pipelines for multimillion dollar categories and vendor agreements.  Works with reporting teams to develop data analytics and suggests revisions to Procurement policy and procedures to ensure a predictable, easy-to-follow and efficient procurement process.

• Conducts advanced, continuous industry research and benchmark analysis within a defined spend category. Establishes a category strategy for a highly technical domain, monitors purchasing trends and identifies top suppliers and innovations within the category.

• Works with Business Partners to manage Business Unit and Procurement relationship by building forecasts of demand, service levels requirements, Total Cost of Ownership models, contractual and other risk requirements (by category domain, actual and forecasted spend), identifying cost reduction opportunities, and developing recommendations. Acts as a Project Manager with business partners, Finance, Technology as needed. 

• Facilitates moderately complex to complex competitive bid activity, including requests for proposal (RFP), quote (RFQ) or information (RFI), where applicable. Negotiates the terms of the contract, including conditions, clauses, and service level agreements.  Documents achieved savings for Finance approval.

• Assesses supplier risk prior to contract and collaborates with applicable risk partners, including Information Risk Management, Technology Review Boards, Privacy etc., for additional specialized assessments or necessary contract provisions.

• Analyzes and aligns Category goals and objectives to maximize usage of Diverse Suppliers and best practices in Sustainability.

• Mentors and trains new associates on Procurement policy, processes and helps them develop Sourcing Skills.

May perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships:  Reports to Procurement Manager. Individual contributor; may serve in a lead capacity with business partners.

Typical Skills and Experiences: 

Education:  Undergraduate degree in supply chain, procurement, business, finance, accounting, management information systems, economics or related fields preferred.

License/Certification/Designation: Procurement, purchasing, or project management designations, as applicable.

Experience:  Typically, eight or more years of experience in all aspects of supply chain management including relationship management; or equivalent professional experience in other closely related industries.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills:  Specialized knowledge of principles, practices and procedures of supply chain management or other related industry. In-depth knowledge of the legal environment to analyze impact of major/complex initiatives on the company. In-depth understanding of the enterprise structure and business objectives. Knowledgeable in financial controls, insurance business concepts, systems and data processing concepts, and financial planning/analysis. Excellent verbal, and written communication skills and math skills required to negotiate with suppliers. Ability to develop and maintain strong supplier relationships. Ability to conceptually think of new projects and lead project teams towards a common objective. Ability to influence with limited authority. Ability to train others on most complex and technical procurement policies, practices, and processes. Proficiency in common office software like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence.

Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the hiring manager’s leader and HR Business Partner.

Values:  Regularly and consistently demonstrates Nationwide Values.

Job Conditions: 

Overtime Eligibility: Not Eligible (Exempt)

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Occasional extended and non-standard hours based on business and information needs.

ADA:  The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job.  Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties. 

Benefits

We have an array of benefits to fit your needs, including: medical/dental/vision, life insurance, short and long term disability coverage, paid time off with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days paid time off each full calendar year pro-rated quarterly based on hire date, nine paid holidays, 8 hours of Lifetime paid time off, 8 hours of Unity Day paid time off, 401(k) with company match, company-paid pension plan, business casual attire, and more. To learn more about the benefits we offer, click here.

Nationwide is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels challenged, appreciated, respected and engaged. Nationwide prohibits discrimination and harassment and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic (or classification) protected by applicable law.

NOTE TO EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES:

We value the partnerships we have built with our preferred vendors. Nationwide does not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies. All resumes submitted by employment agencies directly to any Nationwide employee or hiring manager in any form without a signed Nationwide Client Services Agreement on file and search engagement for that position will be deemed unsolicited in nature. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is subsequently hired as a result of the referral or through other means.