Sr Consultant, Procurement Category Management (Technology)

If you’re passionate about innovation and love working in an environment where you can constantly improve and adopt new technologies to drive business results, then Nationwide’s Technology team could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care. As a Category Manager, you will manage complex technology categories and lead supplier segmentation and strategy development. You’ll support enterprise procurement strategy by aligning with business priorities, influencing stakeholders, and driving category strategies through the procurement team to ensure contracts deliver on strategic objectives. This role will lead and support various technology categories—including, but not not limited to, Network, Telecom, Hosting, and emerging technologies—while driving cost optimization, quality, and service excellence. Responsibilities may evolve based on business priorities and candidate strengths, offering flexibility and growth opportunities.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• May include leadership of up to 2–4 associates, based on business needs and candidate experience.
• Develop and execute category strategies to maximize value and drive continuous improvement.
• Lead transformation initiatives to build a resilient, cost-effective supply chain.
• Deliver annual savings and cash improvement targets through cost-reduction strategies.
• Track and leverage KPIs to measure and improve category performance.
• Manage supplier relationships, including risk mitigation, performance, and innovation.
• Identify and implement procurement strategies (e.g., payment terms, supply base consolidation).
• Forecast market trends and adjust plans accordingly.
• Present executive summaries to senior leaders on trends, risks, and opportunities.

Additional Details

• Hybrid role based in Columbus, OH; typically 1–2 days per week in-office.
• This role does not qualify for employer-sponsored work authorization.
• Nationwide does not participate in the STEM OPT Extension program.
• #LI-KR1

Job Description Summary

Procuring goods and services necessary to successfully run and grow our business is critical. Whether working to enable the processes that support buying decisions or finding the best supplier, price or contract terms, we bring expertise, skill and talent to the task. If you are collaborative, a top-level communicator, highly ethical and have the ability to manage key relationships by providing outstanding service, we want to know more about you! As a Senior Consultant, you'll be responsible for finding and acquiring goods and services that deliver long-term value for Nationwide. We'll count on you to find ways to enhance processes and drive efficiency. You'll have opportunities to advise business units on the acquisition of complex, specialized and highly technical products and services, including SAAS software licenses, offshore outsourcing, Marketing, Employee Benefits and more.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Partners and collaborates with multiple Business Partners, Finance, Technology and other Procurement team members to manage new, complex sourcing requests, current contract pipelines for multimillion dollar categories and vendor agreements.
• Work with reporting teams to develop data analytics and make changes to Procurement policy and procedures to ensure a predictable, easy-to-follow and efficient procurement process.
• Conducts extensive, continuous industry research and benchmark analysis within a defined spend category.
• Establishes a detailed category strategy for a highly technical domain, monitors purchasing trends and identifies top suppliers and innovations within the category.
• Consults with Business Partners and is a trusted advisor 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 Project Manager executing with business partners, Finance, and Technology.
• Facilitates highly 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 top 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 the Director, Procurement; Individual contributor; serves in category lead capacity.

Typical Skills and Experiences:

Education:

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

License/Certification/Designation:

Procurement, purchasing or project management designations, as applicable.

Experience:

Typically, 10 or more years of business experience in all aspects of procurement processes, specific to the specialized category, including contract negotiation and project management or equivalent professional experience in other closely related industries.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills:

• Proven, specialized knowledge in a technical spend domain (category).
• Must have a thorough understanding of supply chain management and procurement policies, programs, practices and procedures.
• Must have knowledge or familiarity of current information technologies.
• Demonstrated knowledge in project management concepts and techniques.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills to interact and collaborate with all levels in the business units and external suppliers.
• Ability to display executive presence and command skills.
• Ability to develop and influence relationships with suppliers and top-level leaders.
• Ability to negotiate highly complex and integrated business solutions which include, contracts, fee schedules, legal terms and conditions and service level agreements.
• Advanced skills in mathematical, financial or statistical concepts to handle all aspects of financial planning and analysis as well as procurement processes.
• Analytical and business savvy to develop, recommend and implement innovative and sophisticated solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and understand the most complex legal documents and contracts.
• Ability to present such material and information to a variety of audiences.
• Advanced proficiency in common office software, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, accounts payable systems.
• Ability to keep abreast of current technical category trends.
• 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 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. Nationwide pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement within the actual starting salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity and location of the role as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. If a Sales job, Sales Incentives, based on performance goals are possible in addition to this range. Note on Compensation for Part-Time Roles: Please be aware that the salary ranges listed below reflect full-time compensation. Actual compensation may be prorated based on the number of hours worked relative to a full-time schedule.

The national salary range for Sr Consultant, Procurement Category Management : $122,000.00-$214,000.00

The expected starting salary range for Sr Consultant, Procurement Category Management : $122,000.00 - $182,000.00