IT Category Manager - Hybrid (Contract to Hire)

For further inquiries regarding the following opportunity, please contact our Talent Specialist:

Hema at (630) 847-0275

Title: IT Category Manager - Hybrid (Contract to Hire)

Duration: 3 Months

Location: Northbrook, IL

Working Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 AM 4:30 PM

This role is hybrid (3-days onsite) based at our Northbrook or Chicago, IL office.

Description

We are seeking a hands-on IT Procurement professional with a proven track record in managing the end-to-end procurement lifecycle. The ideal candidate will possess:

Core Procurement & Technical Expertise

• Comprehensive, end-to-end IT procurement experience, including:
  • Consulting with business partners to define needs and establish spending baselines.
  • Conducting the full RFx process (RFP, RFI, RFQ) as required.
  • Analyzing vendor proposals, comparing them to prior year spend, and delivering clear, data-driven recommendations for the best commercial value.
  • Leading negotiations on pricing and key contract terms.
  • Collaborating with Legal on contract redlining and finalization.
• Deep IT category experience across:
  • Software: SaaS, on-premise licenses.
  • Hardware: network, firewall, storage, servers.
  • Professional Services: understanding of Time & Material, Fixed Bid, and Fixed Capacity models; managing deliverables, milestones, and rate cards (onshore/offshore/nearshore).

Vendor & Relationship Management

• Demonstrated experience negotiating with large and mid-sized technology vendors such as Microsoft, Salesforce, Oracle, SAP, Adobe, ServiceNow, Broadcom/VMWare, Databricks, Accenture, Gartner, and LinkedIn.
• Experience working with major resellers like SHI, CDW, Insight, etc.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (Finance, Cybersecurity, Architecture, Data Privacy, Insurance).

Key Skills & Personal Attributes

• Exceptional Communicator: Strong oral and written communication skills; articulate and clear.
• Proactive Project Manager: Self-motivated with the ability to manage multiple contracts and projects simultaneously, driving them forward to completion.
• Strong Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: A detail-oriented mindset that "peels back the onion," proactively identifies issues, and creatively brainstorms solutions.
• Accountable & Conscientious: Demonstrates clear follow-through, accountability, and a commitment to seeing tasks through to the end.
• Agile & Adaptable: A quick learner who can prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment and hit the ground running.
• Solid Technical Proficiency: Fundamental Excel skills are required for spend analysis (comparing year-over-year proposals, multi-year costs). Pivot tables and VLOOKUP are a plus.

About us:

DivIHN , the 'IT Asset Performance Services' organization, provides Professional Consulting, Custom Projects, and Professional Resource Augmentation services to clients in the Mid-West and beyond. The strategic characteristics of the organization are Standardization, Specialization, and Collaboration.

DivIHN is an equal opportunity employer. DivIHN does not and shall not discriminate against any employee or qualified applicant on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status.