Category Manager, Digital & Technology

Westlake offers you the potential to enrich your work life and career experience in an entrepreneurial environment. We work together to enhance peoples' lives through our products and presence in the communities in which we operate.​

SUMMARY

The Category Manager, Digital & Technology is responsible for developing and executing enterprise sourcing and category strategies for information technology spend, including software/SaaS, cloud and infrastructure, telecom/network, cybersecurity, data center, professional services/SOWs, hardware, maintenance/support, and related technology solutions. The role partners closely with IT, IS, Digital, Finance, Legal, Information Security, and business stakeholders to deliver total cost of ownership improvement, savings/value creation, supplier performance, risk mitigation, contract compliance, and continuity of supply/service.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

May include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develop and execute enterprise digital & technology procurement category strategies and multi-year sourcing roadmaps aligned to business priorities, IT/IS/Digital department strategy, budget requirements, risk profile, and value/savings targets.
• Identify and implement best-in-class digital and technology strategy sourcing practices that support service continuity, security, compliance, cost optimization, supplier accountability, and internal customer requirements.
• Develop and manage category objectives and KPIs, including savings/value delivery, contract coverage, preferred supplier utilization, supplier performance, risk mitigation, cycle time, service levels, and stakeholder satisfaction. Ensure KPI performance is tracked, reported, and acted upon.
• Use strategic sourcing, spend analytics, benchmarking, demand management, competitive events, negotiation strategy, and total cost of ownership analysis to optimize Global digital and technology strategy spend and commercial outcomes.
• Establish and lead cross-functional teams with IT/IS/Digital, Finance, Legal, Information Security, and business stakeholders to develop, approve, execute, and maintain sourcing strategies that drive adoption of preferred suppliers, standard contract terms, and compliant buying channels.
• Monitor stakeholder adoption, contract compliance, preferred supplier utilization, and buying-channel compliance; address leakage and exceptions through governance and corrective action plans.
• Lead market intelligence, spend analysis, supplier landscape reviews, technology trend assessments, and commercial benchmarking for current and future digital and technology strategy requirements; assess supplier capability, service performance, security posture, scalability, and total cost impact.
• Develop and implement global digital and technology cost optimization strategies addressing software license consumption, SaaS renewals, cloud/infrastructure spend, maintenance/support, professional services rates, telecom/network services, service levels, and supplier consolidation.
• Execute sourcing and negotiation projects that deliver validated savings, cost avoidance, risk reduction, service improvement, and budget support for IT/IS/Digital business stakeholders.
• Support IT/IS/Digital budget planning and financial forecasting through contract commitment visibility, market intelligence, and savings/value tracking.
• Recommend and use procurement technologies, e-sourcing tools, contract lifecycle management, ERP/procurement systems, spend analytics, dashboards, and reporting to improve category governance and decision-making.
• Collaborate with Legal on contract negotiation, contract management, and execution; partner with IT/IS/Digital, Information Security, Risk, Finance, and other SMEs to ensure technology purchases meet commercial, security, data protection, audit, regulatory, and compliance requirements.
• Establish and manage a preferred digital and technology supplier base through supplier relationship management, executive business reviews, scorecards, service-level performance, issue escalation, innovation roadmaps, continuous improvement, and supplier risk mitigation.
• Understand and ensure compliance with applicable company policies, Procurement procedures, SOX controls, Delegation of Authority, contract approval requirements, information security/privacy requirements, and supplier onboarding/governance processes.
• Lead RFIs/RFPs/RFQs, supplier selection, commercial evaluations, negotiations, contract renewals, statement-of-work reviews, licensing analyses, supplier transitions, and compliance management for digital and technology categories.
• Maintain a forward-looking renewal and sourcing pipeline for major Digital and Technology contracts, proactively engaging IT/IS/Digital business owners before renewal events to maximize leverage and reduce business risk.
• Provide procurement guidance to IT/IS/Digital business stakeholders on sourcing strategy, supplier selection, competitive requirements, contract structure, commercial models, and preferred buying channels.
• other responsibilities as assigned.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain/Procurement, Business, Finance, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent progressive procurement/category management experience acceptable to management. MBA, master’s degree, CPSM/ISM, PMP, or similar professional certification preferred.
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant procurement, strategic sourcing, category management, supplier management, or commercial contracting experience, including meaningful exposure to Digital/technology categories such as software/SaaS, cloud/infrastructure, cybersecurity, telecom/network, hardware, maintenance/support, data center, or IT/IS/Digital professional services.
• Strong knowledge of Digital and Technology sourcing, technology contracting, supplier selection, statement-of-work structures, software licensing, SaaS/subscription models, renewals, vendor onboarding, contract negotiations, and supplier performance management.
• Strong written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence IT/IS/Digital, Legal, Finance, business leaders, and suppliers at multiple levels.
• Strong Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and analytical skills required; experience with SAP, Ariba/e-sourcing, contract lifecycle management, spend analytics, Power BI or similar reporting tools is preferred.
• Knowledge of manufacturing business needs and industrial operating environments preferred; deep understanding of digital and Technology supplier markets, commercial models, licensing metrics, technology trends, and supplier risk considerations strongly preferred.
• Business and financial acumen, including ability to develop and execute category strategy, analyze spend and budgets, evaluate supplier financial/commercial proposals, structure negotiations, and present recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, interpersonal, and change-management skills, with the ability to influence all levels of employees and management internally and externally with suppliers.
• Ability to make data-based recommendations aligned to procurement strategy, I IT/IS/Digital business requirements, risk considerations, and enterprise financial objectives; considers operational, security, compliance, and change-management impacts across the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, competing priorities, supplier escalations, and contract deadlines in a matrixed environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to touch, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate as normally based in an office.  Some of the work may be required in the operating units which can require usage of required PPE including safety glasses, hearing protection, etc.  May also result in exposure to outside elements and may require usage of stairs and elevators.  Travel including air travel or auto travel may occasionally be required.

Westlake is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable legislation.

If you are an active Westlake employee (or an employee of any Westlake affiliates), please do not apply here. You will apply via the Jobs Hub application in Workday.