Software Category Manager

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Leads supplier negotiations to meet sourcing cost reduction goals for the Software Category.
- Identifies cost savings to meet business goals through negotiations, event driven ideas, and second sourcing.
- Develops and maintains commodity cost reduction plans and manages expectations to targets.
- Manages a complex Software Category with minimal direction.
- Develops and leads Category strategy to include future business, cost reduction requirements, supplier roadmaps, best practices, and risk mitigation plans.
- Develops and maintains a supply base strategy that fits with the business direction- this includes supporting new product supplier selection and supplier consolidation.
- Maintains and builds relationships with key cross-functional members of the Businesses.
- Acts as a source of expertise and support to teams.
- Communicates and works well with Engineering, Product Management, NPI, and Suppliers to identify and bridge technology trends need in products.
- Maintains and builds relationships with Software Suppliers and provides solutions to issues impacting preferred customer status with suppliers.
- Participates in the execution of key supplier events (ie quarterly business reviews, seminars or supplier Summit).
- Coordinates contract reviews with internal teams - Legal, Support, Open Source Review Board, Information Assurance, Finance, Buyers, Quality, and Business teams to ensure Suppliers meet requirements for each respective area.
- Takes a leadership role to resolve complex issues (such as pricing disputes, audits, or software licensing issues) and to implement best practices to improve the Category as a whole.
- Maintains accurate pricing for Buyers across multiple teams.

SKILLS:

SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:

- Experience with Cloud and SaaS suppliers.
- Negotiations skills to resolve problems, finalize contracts, and achieve cost savings objectives.
- Ability to manage a very high volume of concurrent contract negotiations and prioritize accordingly to complete contracts in a timely manner.
- Understanding of 3rd Party Software licensing practices including EULA, Warranty, Software Support, Open Source, Information Assurance, IP/Essential Patents, Indemnification/Liability, Ownership, Source/Object Code; and experience with 3rd party Software Development SOW's.
- Leadership, strategic thinking, ability to think/analyze both at micro and macro level.
- Ability to solve problems with minimal supervision, but use escalations effectively if required.
- Individual should be a motivated self starter with a passion to own their space and a desire to succeed.
- Cost breakdown methodology and the ability to map cost drivers on a component.
- Have a good business sense and ability to understand complex financial and commercial terms.
- Ability to communicate well with various levels of internal and external management: internally to VP level, externally to CEO level.
- Experience to pull together internal and external data and information to develop forward looking strategies for suppliers based on manufacturing needs, technology shifts, and supplier landscape.
- Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office.