Category Manager - Non-Clinical (Academic Enterprise & Professional Services)

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Finance, Health Care Administration, or a related field and five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in strategic sourcing, category management, or procurement with a focus on indirect/non-clinical categories. An equivalent combination of education and experience relevant to the role may be considered for this position per UTMB policy.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in business administration (MBA), Supply Chain Management, or a related field
• Demonstrated success managing cross-functional stakeholders, vendor relationships, contract negotiations, process improvement projects, and strategic initiatives supporting laboratory, pharmacy, or other operational service lines.
• Extensive experience leading complex operational, sourcing, and project-based initiatives within a healthcare or large institutional environment.
• Experience managing significant spend portfolios ($50M+ annual spend)
• Experience with Jaggaer contract management system and PeopleSoft ERP platforms
• Demonstrated success in achieving significant cost savings and driving strategic sourcing transformations in healthcare or complex organizational settings
• Experience in managing supplier performance programs and supplier relationship management (SRM) initiatives.
• Professional certification, such as C.P.S.M. (Certified Professional in Supply Management), C.P.P.B. (Certified Professional Public Buyer), C.P.P.O. (Certified Public Procurement Officer), C.T.C.M. (Certified Texas Contract Manager), or C.T.C.D. (Certified Texas Contract Developer) or equivalent nationally recognized certification within 24 months of appointment.

Job Summary:

The Category Manager - Non-Clinical is accountable for the end-to-end sourcing and category management lifecycle for assigned non-clinical spend categories such as Engineering, Maintenance, and Environmental Services; Professional, Labor, and Research Affairs; IT and Communications; and Design and Construction. This role develops and executes data-driven category strategies, leads complex sourcing and negotiation initiatives, manages key supplier relationships and performance, and partners with Contracting, Value Analysis, Finance, Legal, and operational leaders to achieve savings, quality, service, and risk-management objectives. The Category Manager serves as the primary strategic owner of assigned spend portfolios and collaborates across multi-disciplinary teams to optimize total cost of ownership, standardization, and operational efficiency for UTMB.

Job Duties:

UTMB is seeking a strategic Category Manager - Academic Enterprise & Professional Services to lead sourcing and category management across a diverse portfolio supporting UTMB's academic, research, faculty practice, and enterprise operations.

This role will partner with leaders across the Academic Schools, Research Enterprise, Faculty Group Practice, President's Office, Human Resources, Marketing and Communications, and other administrative and professional service areas to develop category strategies, optimize spend, improve supplier performance, and deliver measurable value.

The Category Manager serves as a strategic advisor to senior leaders and business owners, translating operational and academic needs into effective sourcing, contracting, and supplier strategies.

Strategic Category Ownership and Planning:

• Own and manage a defined portfolio of non-clinical spend categories, contracts, and annual spend related to assigned non-clinical categories
• Develop and maintain comprehensive category strategies and roadmaps (short-, medium-, and long-term) using spend data analysis, market research, supplier landscape assessments, and total cost of ownership (TCO) models
• Define category segmentation, prioritize sourcing initiatives (savings, service improvement, standardization, risk mitigation), and align strategies with organizational objectives, annual savings targets, and budget owner requirements
• Evaluate organizational impact of each spend category and determine the appropriate level of category management required (strategic, leverage, tactical)
• Participate in the planning and establishment of the annual strategic sourcing pipeline and contract renewal calendar in collaboration with Contracting and Procurement colleagues

Sourcing and Contracting Leadership:

• Develop and execute effective negotiation strategies and tenders based on market analysis, supplier evaluation, and award recommendations in partnership with Contracting FTEs and cross-functional stakeholders
• Engage and participate in end-to-end sourcing event process, including RFx determination with RFPs that incorporate price, quality, service, VetHUB/Federal Small Business Program requirements, and risk mitigation factors
• Analyze price proposals, financial reports, business proposals, and other supplier data to determine potential risk and develop strategies to mitigate financial and operational impact to the institution
• Collaborate with key stakeholders, contracting, and legal services to ensure contracts include service level agreements (SLAs), terms and conditions, and performance measures, allowing for comprehensive business reviews as necessary
• Ensure current and continued compliance with all regulatory requirements, policies, and procedures (State of Texas procurement rules, UCC, UT System policies, UTMB institutional policies), both internally and externally

Supplier Relationship and Performance Management:

• Serve as the primary supplier relationship manager for key suppliers within the assigned category portfolio, including support of supplier onboarding, business reviews, escalation management, and strategic partnership development
• Develop, implement, and monitor supplier performance scorecards and KPIs evaluating cost, quality, service delivery, compliance, innovation, and risk mitigation
• Conduct formal supplier evaluations, including assessment of supplier capabilities, financial stability, operational risk, and savings/value tracking; communicate performance results to procurement team, leadership, legal, end users, and suppliers
• Drive corrective action plans and continuous improvement initiatives with underperforming suppliers; identify and implement supplier-enabled innovation, standardization opportunities, and process improvements to support operational efficiency and enhanced customer experience
• Manage and evaluate all contract relationships, including Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) contracts, to identify and maximize cost savings and leverage new opportunities within the assigned portfolio

Financial Accountability and Savings Management:

• Establish annual savings and value creation targets for assigned categories in alignment with institutional savings objectives; identify standardization opportunities, resource consumption reduction, and cost avoidance strategies
• Track, validate, and report cost savings, cost avoidance, and non-financial value (quality
  improvements, service enhancements, risk reduction) delivered through category strategies and sourcing initiatives
• Capture financial and non-financial value from contracts; confirm data accuracy with suppliers and key stakeholders; maintain accurate savings documentation and audit trails
• Develop business cases and financial models to support sourcing decisions, contract awards, and category strategy recommendations
• Ensure VetHUB (Veteran Business) and Federal Small Business Programs are represented and integrated as required in all sourcing strategies and pipeline activities

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication:

• Identify and engage key stakeholders for each category portfolio, including operational leaders
• Collaborate with stakeholders to understand business needs, input requirements, savings goals, budgets, and operational constraints; validate category strategies and sourcing plans with stakeholders to ensure alignment
• Partner with Clinical Value Analysis, Contracting, and Procurement teams to coordinate on standardization initiatives, product substitutions, and backorder mitigation strategies where nonclinical categories impact clinical operations
• Prepare and deliver high-quality presentations to senior leadership and executive teams on category strategy, performance metrics, savings results, supplier performance, market trends, and risk management
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with internal and external customers; serve as a trusted advisor and liaison between customers and supply chain operations
• Demonstrate strong presentation skills, including preparation, delivery, and design of executive-level communication materials

Governance, Systems, Data Management, and Leadership:

• Coordinate with the contracting team on contract expiration dates, renewal schedules, and strategy to ensure proactive contract lifecycle processes
• Utilize Jaggaer contract management system, PeopleSoft ERP, and business intelligence/analytical tools to monitor spend trends, contract performance, supplier compliance, and category KPIs
• Develop and update category dashboards, savings trackers, and performance reports for leadership and stakeholder review; ensure data accuracy and timeliness
• Identify and implement process improvements leading to internal "best practices" regarding the sourcing process, contract management, and supplier engagement
• Provide informal leadership, mentoring, and subject matter expertise to Contracting FTEs, Sourcing Analysts, and other team members supporting assigned categories; support calibration and professional development of staff to improve service delivery quality to the customer base

Marginal or Periodic Functions:

• Participate in strategic planning, budget development, and departmental initiatives
• Represent Supply Chain Services on cross-functional committees and workgroups
• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Technical Knowledge and Expertise:

• Demonstrates strong knowledge of business acumen related to Supply Chain, Strategic Sourcing, and Category Management principles and best practices
• Strong technical writing skills and ability to write specifications, scopes of work, and RFx documents
• Demonstrates advanced negotiation skills
• Good overall knowledge of the acquisition process, policies, procedures, and compliance requirements for healthcare and public sector procurement

Technical and Organizational Skills:

• Advanced financial and data analytics skills, including the ability to manipulate and interpret large spend datasets, develop business cases, and track KPIs and savings metrics
• Proficiency with supply chain and contract management systems; experience with Jaggaer and PeopleSoft ERP strongly preferred
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word); advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, data modeling) required
• Good organizational and project management skills, including the ability to prioritize effectively and strategically, balancing short-term tactical needs with long-term strategic category objectives

Leadership and Interpersonal Skills:

• Demonstrates the ability to facilitate cross-functional teams, lead evidence-based group decision-making, and drive consensus among diverse stakeholders
• Demonstrates the ability to proactively assist customers with their immediate and long-term needs; strong customer service orientation and relationship management skills
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and presentation skills; able to influence and communicate effectively at director, VP, and executive levels
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and adapt to changing business needs in a fast-paced, matrixed healthcare environment

Salary Range:

Actual salary commensurate with experience.

Work Schedule:

Partial Remote, onsite at minimum twice a week. Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, and as needed on occasion.