Buyer

Job Summary

We are looking for an experienced Software Category Manager to lead strategic sourcing, vendor management, contract negotiations, and cost optimization initiatives for global software spend. The role will be responsible for managing software licensing, SaaS subscriptions, enterprise applications, renewals, compliance, supplier relationships, and procurement transformation initiatives while ensuring maximum business value and risk mitigation.

The ideal candidate should possess strong expertise in IT procurement, software licensing models, contract negotiations, stakeholder management, and supplier governance.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Sourcing

• Develop and execute category strategies for Software, SaaS, Cloud, and Enterprise Applications.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing activities including RFx, supplier evaluation, negotiations, and contract awards.
• Identify cost-saving and value-generation opportunities across software portfolios.
• Drive supplier consolidation and vendor rationalization initiatives.

Software License Management

• Manage software subscriptions, license renewals, and maintenance agreements.
• Partner with IT teams to optimize software utilization and eliminate redundant licenses.
• Ensure compliance with licensing terms and vendor agreements.
• Support software asset management (SAM) initiatives.

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with key software suppliers and strategic partners.
• Collaborate with IT, Security, Legal, Finance, and Business stakeholders.
• Conduct supplier business reviews and performance evaluations.
• Manage escalations related to software procurement and vendor performance.

Contract Management

• Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, SLAs, data privacy, and compliance requirements.
• Review and manage Master Service Agreements (MSA), SaaS Agreements, EULAs, SOWs, and Amendments.
• Track contract renewals and ensure timely execution.
• Mitigate contractual and commercial risks.

Financial & Commercial Management

• Drive cost optimization and budget adherence initiatives.
• Conduct spend analysis and market benchmarking.
• Support annual budgeting and forecasting activities for software spend.
• Generate procurement savings and value realization reports.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure procurement policies, governance standards, and audit requirements are met.
• Support risk assessments related to information security, privacy, and supplier compliance.
• Maintain procurement documentation and sourcing records.

Reporting & Analytics

• Develop dashboards and reports on software spend, renewals, savings, and supplier performance.
• Leverage tools such as Power BI, Excel, SAP Ariba, Coupa, or similar procurement platforms.
• Present category insights and recommendations to leadership.

Skill Requirements

Procurement & Commercial

• Strategic Sourcing
• Category Management
• RFx Management
• Contract Negotiations
• Spend Analysis
• Cost Optimization
• Vendor Governance

Technical Knowledge

• SaaS Licensing Models
• Enterprise Software Procurement
• Cloud Services (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud)
• Software Asset Management (SAM)
• IT Security & Compliance Requirements

Tools & Systems

• SAP Ariba
• Coupa
• ServiceNow
• Power BI
• Excel
• ERP/Procurement Platforms

Soft Skills

• Strong negotiation skills
• Stakeholder management
• Analytical and problem-solving ability
• Executive communication and presentation skills
• Project management capabilities

Other Requirements

NA