Global Category Manager

We are looking for a strategic Global Category Manager to lead our worldwide procurement portfolio covering Management Consultancy, Audit, Financial Services, Corporate Insurance, and specialized Outsourced Services.

Operating within a complex, international matrix organization, you will act as a trusted commercial partner to executive leadership across Finance, Legal, and core business units. Your mission is to shape how the organization accesses, governs, and extracts value from external advisory partners-balancing commercial agility, cost efficiency, regulatory compliance, and long-term supplier innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Global Category Strategy & Value Pipeline:
  • Architect and execute a multi-year category roadmap aligned with enterprise transformation priorities.
  • Build a sustainable value pipeline centered on demand management, total cost optimization, risk mitigation, and supplier performance.
  • Leverage market intelligence, rate-card benchmarking, and spend analytics to guide executive sourcing decisions and standardize preferred supplier panels.
• Executive Business Partnering & Demand Governance:
  • Advise senior leaders across Finance, Legal, Risk, IT, and Transformation Programs on commercial structuring and vendor selection.
  • Embed Procurement early in strategic initiatives to challenge scope constructively, enforce engagement governance, and ensure external advisory spend ties directly to measurable business deliverables.
• Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Negotiations:
  • Lead high-value, complex RFPs and contract negotiations with top-tier consulting firms, audit practices, financial institutions, and insurance brokers.
  • Design outcome-based commercial models and robust Master Services Agreements (MSAs) that protect enterprise interests while fostering vendor accountability and innovation.
• Risk Control & Matrix Leadership:
  • Enforce strict governance, regulatory compliance, data privacy, and business continuity standards across the global vendor ecosystem.
  • Provide functional direction and category expertise to regional sourcing teams and shared service centers (GBS) without direct line-management authority, driving continuous improvement across the wider procurement function.

Candidate Profile & Qualifications

• Experience: 10+ years of progressive strategic sourcing and category management experience within Professional Services, Management Consultancy, Financial Services, or Corporate Advisory in a global enterprise environment.
• Commercial & Negotiation Mastery: Proven track record managing ~$100M+ spend portfolios, leading complex global negotiations, and delivering Finance-validated savings and value.
• Matrix Influencing: Exceptional stakeholder management skills with the executive presence to constructively challenge senior business sponsors and lead cross-functional teams through influence.
• Analytical & Governance Mindset: Strong capability in spend analytics, rate benchmarking, demand-management frameworks, and risk mitigation within regulated industries.
• Education & Credentials: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Law, or a related field. CIPS, CPSM, or an MBA is strongly preferred; prior background in management consulting or corporate finance is a distinct advantage.

What Success Looks Like

• Measurable, Finance-validated value creation and improved spend transparency across the global consultancy and financial services portfolio.
• Early-stage Procurement involvement in major enterprise transformation programs.
• A consolidated, high-performing preferred supplier ecosystem governed by clear KPIs, outcome-driven contracts, and strong commercial protections.