Category Strategy Manager Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

The Director, Global Strategic Sourcing - IT is responsible for leading the strategy, design, and development of a world-class strategic sourcing and category management function across Fortrea's global Information Technology spend categories. This role oversees strategic sourcing initiatives related to software, SaaS, cloud services, infrastructure, hardware, telecommunications, cybersecurity, digital platforms, and managed IT services. The Director partners closely with IT leadership, Finance, Legal, Security, and key business stakeholders to drive value, mitigate risk, optimize supplier performance, and ensure alignment with Fortrea's technology strategy and business objectives.

Summary of Responsibilities

Leadership & People Management

• Build, lead, and develop a global team of category and sourcing managers focused on IT procurement and strategic sourcing, establishing clear role clarity, performance expectations, and decision rights aligned to Fortrea's strategic priorities.
• Create a high-performance culture by coaching leaders, providing regular performance feedback, and holding managers accountable for results, behaviors, and talent development outcomes.
• Own talent strategy for IT sourcing categories, including workforce planning, capability development, succession planning, and identification of future leaders within Global Procurement Services.
• Set and cascade measurable objectives across the team, including savings, service levels, supplier performance, stakeholder satisfaction, compliance, and innovation outcomes.
• Foster an inclusive, growth-oriented environment that encourages continuous improvement, digital innovation, and cross-functional collaboration.

Strategic Leadership

• Own the strategy, governance, and performance outcomes for IT sourcing categories, ensuring category strategies are developed and executed effectively across software, cloud, infrastructure, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and other technology domains.
• Hold team leaders accountable for execution quality, including sourcing rigor, vendor management, software licensing optimization, contract compliance, supplier performance, and stakeholder engagement.
• Serve as an executive escalation point for complex technology supplier negotiations, contract disputes, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Translate enterprise and technology strategies into category-level priorities, ensuring consistent application of sourcing methodologies, governance, and procurement best practices.
• Develop long-term category roadmaps aligned with technology transformation initiatives, digital innovation objectives, and evolving market trends.

Stakeholder & Organizational Leadership

• Act as a senior strategic advisor to Enterprise Technology and business leaders, influencing sourcing decisions and aligning stakeholders to long-term value creation and business outcomes.
• Partner closely with CIO leadership, Cybersecurity, Enterprise Architecture, Infrastructure, Applications, Data & Analytics, and Digital teams to align sourcing strategies with business and technology priorities.
• Model and enforce disciplined decision-making, ensuring teams balance speed, innovation, risk, compliance, security requirements, and value in accordance with Fortrea policies and regulatory requirements.

Execution

• Lead and project manage cross-functional stakeholder teams on strategic sourcing initiatives, including RFXs, contract negotiations, vendor consolidations, software renewals, cloud agreements, and transformational technology projects.
• Conduct regular supplier business reviews with strategic IT vendors to ensure contractual commitments, service levels, performance expectations, cybersecurity requirements, and stakeholder needs are met.
• Provide guidance on procurement-related matters including technology licensing, commercial structures, cloud consumption models, managed services agreements, software audits, and contractual risk management.
• Verify the relevance of sourcing strategies by consulting with business and technology leaders, understanding market trends, evaluating emerging technologies, and continuously adjusting category strategies to support organizational priorities.

Results & Accountability

• Own delivery of savings and value targets through team performance, including cost reduction, cost avoidance, cloud optimization, software license management, supplier innovation, and operational efficiencies.
• Establish and review team-level performance dashboards using procurement, supplier, and spend analytics to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Design and continuously evolve the operating model for IT category management, supplier governance, and strategic sourcing.
• Partner with the Executive Director, Global Procurement Services to shape technology sourcing strategy, transformation roadmaps, and future procurement capabilities.
• Drive measurable business value through supplier innovation, technology-enabled efficiencies, and strategic vendor partnerships.

Qualifications (Minimum Required)

• Bachelor's degree required; degree in Business, Supply Chain, Information Technology, Finance, or related field preferred.
• Deep knowledge of strategic sourcing, supplier management, and category management principles within Information Technology categories.
• Demonstrated understanding of software licensing models, SaaS contracts, cloud services, telecommunications, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and managed services procurement.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to drive measurable business value.
• Strong business, financial, and commercial acumen.
• Excellent written, verbal, negotiation, and executive presentation skills.
• Strong organizational and project management capabilities.
• Working knowledge of spend analytics, procurement technologies, and forecasting tools.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Strong attention to detail and contract analysis capabilities.
• Ability to make decisions and manage complex sourcing initiatives.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint).
• Fortrea may consider relevant and equivalent experience in lieu of educational requirements.

Experience (Minimum Required)

• Demonstrated leadership experience managing global sourcing, procurement, or category management teams.
• Experience working in a highly matrixed environment with diverse stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Significant experience leading large-scale, complex IT sourcing initiatives, supplier negotiations, and enterprise technology procurements.
• Proven track record developing and executing category management, strategic sourcing, procurement, supplier management, and cost optimization strategies within Information Technology.
• Experience negotiating and managing agreements with major technology vendors, cloud providers, software companies, telecommunications providers, and managed services organizations.
• Experience supporting executive technology leaders and driving sourcing strategies that align with digital transformation and enterprise technology objectives.
• Preferred experience within a global organization and/or regulated industry environment.

This is a hybrid role with the expectation to work within our Durham headquarters 3 days each week.

Pay Range: $160,000-$170,000 (The range does not include benefits, and if applicable, bonus, commission, or equity)

Benefits: All job offers will be based on a candidate's skills and prior relevant experience, applicable degrees/certifications, as well as internal equity and market data. Regular, full-time or part-time employees working 20 or more hours per week are eligible for comprehensive benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, STD/LTD, 401(K), ESPP, Paid time off (PTO) or Flexible time off (FTO), and Company bonus where applicable. For more detailed information, please click here.

Physical Demands/Work Environment:

Work Environment:

• Work is performed in an office environment with exposure to electrical office equipment.

Physical Requirements:

• Frequently stationary for 6-8 hours per day.

• Repetitive hand movement of both hands with the ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.

• Occasional crouching, stooping, with frequent bending and twisting of upper body and neck.

• Ability to access and use a variety of computer software developed both in-house and off-the-shelf.

Application deadline: August 8, 2026

Learn more about our EEO & Accommodations request here.