IT Category Manager

Title: Category Manager
Location: Northbrook, IL - Hybrid (Onsite 3x a week)
Target Start Date: ASAP
Type: Contract

Job Description
Senior procurement role for enterprise technology spend.
Own strategic sourcing for software, hardware, communications, and managed services.
Drive multi-year, multi-million-dollar SaaS licensing and professional services negotiations.

What you will do

• Lead the global IT category portfolio, including SaaS, on-prem software, hardware, communications, and IT professional services.
• Run full lifecycle sourcing: intake, requirements gathering, RFx (RFP, RFI, RFQ), analysis, negotiation, and contract execution.
• Use prior spend as a baseline and compare proposals year over year.
• Negotiate commercial and contractual terms, then work with Legal to redline and finalize agreements.
• Build and maintain supplier relationships, run preferred supplier selection, and rationalize suppliers to increase buying power.
• Collaborate with IT architecture, Cybersecurity, Finance, Legal, Data Privacy, and Insurance throughout sourcing.
• Evaluate professional services models, including Time and Material, Fixed Bid, and Fixed Capacity.
• Provide clear, data-driven recommendations and trade-off analysis to business stakeholders.
• Track savings, risks, and supplier performance.
• Ensure adherence to global sourcing policies and governance.
• Drive process improvements and tooling to streamline sourcing activities.

What makes you a great fit

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Information Technology, or related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on IT procurement experience.
• Experience executing end-to-end sourcing for software, hardware, and professional services.
• Proven track record negotiating with large enterprise vendors. Examples include Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Oracle, SAP, Adobe, Broadcom/VMware, Client, Databricks, Informatica, Gartner. Experience working with resellers such as SHI, Insight, CDW is a plus.
• Experience negotiating with IT contracting and consulting firms.
• Strong commercial contracting knowledge and proven negotiation outcomes.
• Solid analytical skills and comfort with spend analysis. Able to build pivot tables and use vlookup.
• Project management skills. Manage multiple contracts and move projects forward.
• Detail oriented. Review proposals beyond headline numbers and uncover hidden costs.
• Strong oral and written communication skills. Present to senior leaders.
• Collaborative. Work with cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders.
• Accountability and follow-through. Meet commitments and close loops.
• Quick learner who can hit the ground running.
• Certifications such as CPM, CPSM, or PMP are a plus.

Nice to have

• Hands-on experience with hardware categories: network, firewall, storage, and servers.
• Experience with SaaS licensing models, enterprise resale, and multi-year commercial arrangements.
• Examples of negotiated terms and clauses you changed to reduce risk or cost.

Welcome to ConsultNet and the family of companies, Tekne, SaltClick, TechBridge, and OmniMedia. As a premier national provider of technology talent and solutions, our expertise spans across project services, contract-to-hire, direct placement, and managed services both onshore and nearshore.

Celebrating more than 25 years of partnership with a diverse client base, we've crafted rewarding opportunities for our consultants, fostering high-performing teams that deliver impactful results.

Over the last few years thousands of consultants have found their calling with us in roles that have made a meaningful impact on their lives, enhanced their career, challenged them, and propelled them towards achieving their personal and professional goals. At the ConsultNet family of companies, we believe effective communication is crucial in aligning the right job with your unique skills and professional aspirations. To us, it's all about the personal approach we take and the values we uphold.

Our comprehensive service offerings cover a wide range of technology positions across key markets nationwide. Client more at .

We champion equality and inclusivity, proudly supporting an Equal Opportunity Employer policy. We welcome applicants regardless of Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, National Origin, Age, Genetic Information, Disability, Protected Veteran Status, or any other status protected by law.