Category Team Manager-Network, Telecom, and Cyber Category

Citizens has transformed the Strategic Sourcing experience across the enterprise. As a Category  Team Manager within Strategic Sourcing, you will direct a team of Sourcing colleagues, leverage advanced spend analytics, forward-looking market intelligence, and an integrated source-to-pay ecosystem to serve as a trusted strategic advisor to business line executives.

This role owns the development and execution of multi-year category strategies that drive measurable enterprise value across cost optimization, demand management, supplier performance, risk mitigation, and innovation. The Category Manager acts as the enterprise category expert—aligning business, technology, finance, and risk stakeholders around a common strategic direction.

As a team manager you will have responsibility to knowledge share category insights with both direct and indirect reports.  Develop and influence negotiation strategies, promote an environment of collaboration and team development, lead and coach strategic vendor negotiations.

Success in this role requires strong commercial acumen, executive presence, negotiation leadership, and the ability to operate effectively in a regulated banking environment.

We are seeking a Network, Telecom, and Cyber Category Manager to support the subcategories of Telecom Management Infrastructure, Carriers, and Network as well as Cyber Security Resilience, Identity Access Management, Authentication, and Physical Security.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Value Delivery

• Develop and execute multi‑year category strategies aligned to business and enterprise objectives.
• Define category vision, value targets, performance expectations, and strategic guardrails.
• Maintain a comprehensive category strategy that includes demand forecasts, supplier and contract landscapes, market intelligence, and a savings and value roadmap.
• Own annual category value targets, including cost savings, cost avoidance, and productivity improvements.
• Identify opportunities for demand management, specification optimization, and supplier rationalization.
• Track, measure, and report realized savings and category performance outcomes.

Inform Contract Negotiation

• Participate complex, cross‑functional sourcing initiatives, including RFIs, RFPs, and supplier negotiations.
• Inform fact‑based negotiation strategies supported by financial analysis and market insights.
• Partner closely Business, Strategic Sourcing, Risk, and Compliance teams to ensure appropriate commercial, regulatory alignment and performance levels and penalties.

Supplier & Risk Management

• Manage strategic supplier relationships through structured governance, including performance scorecards and regular business reviews.
• Define and monitor supplier KPIs aligned to business outcomes.
• Proactively address supplier performance issues and mitigate operational, financial, concentration, and resiliency risks.
• Collaborate with third‑party risk, compliance, and information security partners to support effective risk management in a regulated environment.

Stakeholder Partnership & Influence

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders.
• Influence sourcing and demand decisions early in the planning cycle.
• Constructively challenge demand and assumptions to optimize enterprise outcomes.
• Present clear, executive‑ready insights and strategic recommendations.

Team Management & Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of sourcing professionals to strengthen category management capabilities and drive consistent execution.
• Set clear performance expectations, priorities, and accountability measures aligned to enterprise sourcing objectives.
• Provide day-to-day guidance on complex sourcing strategies, stakeholder engagement, supplier negotiations, and issue resolution.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture focused on continuous improvement, professional growth, and measurable business impact.
• Support resource planning, workload prioritization, and talent development to ensure effective delivery across assigned categories and initiatives.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• 6+ years of progressive experience in category management, vendor management and strategic sourcing.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex negotiations and enterprise-wide sourcing initiatives.
• Strong commercial acumen and financial modeling capability.
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Experience working cross-functionally and driving consensus across stakeholders.
• Structured, organized, and methodical planning skills.
• Executive-level communication and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in financial services or other regulated industries.
• Knowledge of third-party risk management frameworks and regulatory environments.
• Experience managing large, complex spend portfolios.
• MBA or professional certification (CPSM, CIPS, or similar).

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking and long-term planning
• Negotiation and influencing skills
• Financial and analytical rigor
• Risk-aware decision making
• Stakeholder management and executive presence
• Change leadership in matrixed environments

Hours & Work Schedule

• 40 hours per week
• Monday – Friday

Pay Transparency 

The salary range for this position is $139,680- $248,320 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to the work location, and relevant skills and experience.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time-away policy of every local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits .

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