Telecom & IT Network Senior Category Manager

About Northern Trust:

Northern Trust, a Fortune 500 company, is a globally recognized, award-winning financial institution that has been in continuous operation since 1889.

Northern Trust is proud to provide innovative financial services and guidance to the world’s most successful individuals, families, and institutions by remaining true to our enduring principles of service, expertise, and integrity. With more than 130 years of financial experience and over 22,000 partners, we serve the world’s most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.

Major Duties :

• The senior category manager leads complex, end-to-end sourcing initiatives for telecommunications, network, and infrastructure. This strategic role involves vendor negotiations, contract management, and cost optimization to drive savings. Collaborate with internal teams to align technology needs with vendor capabilities, ensuring high-quality performance.
• Develops, implements, and communicates an overall category strategy to meet both the Business Unit's and Corporation's strategic plan. Responsible for development of sourcing strategy and performing category analytics.
• Develops best-in-class procurement practices enterprise-wide, including effective category sourcing and overall procurement strategies; processes and infrastructure to effectively manage procurement activities across all assigned spending categories; sustainable purchasing methods; and programs to ensure a diverse supplier base including minority, small, women and disadvantaged businesses.

• Leads and manages RFx (e.g. Request for Proposal, Request for Information, Request for Quote) process, including project management, development of RFx, negotiations and award process.
• Responsible for contract review, drafting and creation of various agreements, including NDAs, Master Agreements, Statements of Work, etc. and leading all aspects of contract & price negotiations and ongoing contract administration.
• Responsible for end-to-end procurement processes and procedures.
• Supports and monitors supplier adherence to contracts, manage suppliers via supplier activity reporting, escalations, and business/performance reviews, support and conduct supplier scorecards, supplier rationalization, and demand management opportunities.
• Manages and supports regulatory and compliance requirements (e.g. OFAC, FCPA, DORA, Spend Analysis, Client Relationships).
• Manages reporting of Procurement performance metrics and provides ongoing support for internal and external audit requests.
• Management of supplier fitness, including analyzing overall business and financial performance of potential and existing suppliers.
• Establish and maintain relationship with key partners, education on policy/guidelines and resolving related purchasing issues.
• Utilize and maintain Contract Management System (Coupa) along with other supporting systems such as Zip, etc.
• Interacts with business and partners to formulate and implement strategy and solutions to enhance existing services, create new services or improve processes. Identifies impact of changes and processes; facilitates acceptance of change through training and communication. Provides ongoing support for the solution.

Knowledge :

• Must have Telecom, Network and Infrastructure knowledge and experience.
• Must be able to multi-task, work independently, and make decisions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required along with ability to be highly flexible and adaptable to change.
• Excellent understanding of procurement philosophies and strategies along with in-depth knowledge of supply chain management and procurement.
• Leadership and organizational skills are required to develop objectives and goals.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suites with advanced Excel skills. Experience with Coupa, ERP systems/PeopleSoft, Zip is a plus.
• Deep understanding/knowledge of contract terms and conditions and legal impact of different terms.
• Requires in-depth conceptual and practical knowledge in own job discipline and basic knowledge of related job disciplines.
• Applies best practices and how own area integrates with others.
• Explains difficult or sensitive information; works to build consensus.
  
  
  
  Experience :

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain Management or Finance is preferred.
• Eight or more years’ experience in Sourcing/Procurement and minimum five years in Telecom/Network or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• MBA or other advanced degree and a professional Procurement/ Supply Chain Management designation, (e.g. CSCP, CPM) and Financial Industry experience are a strong plus.
• Preferred experience in presenting and communicating with C-Level/senior executives.
• Lead projects with manageable risks and resource requirements.

Salary Range:

Salary range is a good faith estimate of base pay. Northern Trust provides a comprehensive benefits package including retirement benefits (401k and pension), health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability), paid time off, parental and caregiver leave, life & accident insurance, and other voluntary and well-being benefits. Northern Trust also provides a discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component.

Working with Us:

As a Northern Trust partner, greater achievements await. You will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture in an organization where financial strength and stability is an asset that emboldens us to explore new ideas.

Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to assisting the communities we serve! Join a workplace with a greater purpose.

We’d love to learn more about how your interests and experience could be a fit with one of the world’s most admired and sustainable companies! Build your career with us and apply today. #MadeForGreater

Reasonable accommodation

Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at [email protected].

We hope you’re excited about the role and the opportunity to work with us. We value an inclusive workplace and understand flexibility means different things to different people.

Apply today and talk to us about your flexible working requirements and together we can achieve greater.