Category Director

The Category Director leads and optimizes procurement activities across various spend categories. The role involves developing category strategies, driving cost efficiencies, managing supplier relationships, and ensuring compliance with procurement policies. The Category Director will have deep expertise in strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, and supplier performance management to support business objectives and drive long-term value.

This role can be hybrid or 100% remote (preference will be given to Portsmouth NH area)

How you’ll contribute

• Develops and implements Procurement strategies that incorporate contracts, Procurement tools and supplier management techniques.
• Partners predominantly with multiple stakeholders across the organization to identify sourcing opportunities, aggregate and standardize goods and services as required to leverage Procurement power and optimize working capital.
• Participates on major Projects as a Core Team Member and sometimes as the Project Lead, developing the strategy for sourcing, supplier selection, Total Cost of Ownership evaluation,
• Using their expertise, this candidate will negotiate complex contracts with key suppliers while calculating return on Investment, cost savings, beneficial contract language, etc.
• The Category Director selects the appropriate strategy, tools and mechanisms and validates them with stakeholders.
• Operates as a consultative business partner to the Bottomline stakeholder community, identifying opportunities to better leverage, rationalize and manage our third-party relationships and the associated risk.
• Participates in the selection of suppliers and negotiating contracts for assigned portfolio of goods and services. The Portfolio includes the following areas: Software, Hardware, networking, telephony, datacenters and Professional services contracts which can be negotiated at local, regional or global level.
• Communicates, implements and executes Procurement strategies, policies and procedures. Shares information and supports “best practices” sharing within Procurement and ensures communication with other Bottomline groups.
• Works with the Procurement Operations team to review market intelligence for assigned portfolio of goods and services. Work with Peers, Trade Associations, and Advisory Service Organizations to stay updated with industry trends and changes. Ensures a thorough understanding of current offerings and technologies, licensing, pricing, distribution and contracting models within each specific area of the Portfolio.
• Performs overall spend analysis and Category Management Plan annually for the assigned Portfolio. Recommends and implements changes to achieve cost reductions and efficiencies.
• Builds and maintains positive business relationships with suppliers and stakeholders. Ability to clearly articulate the Procurement team’s value proposition. Act as a consultative business partner to key stakeholders developing annual sourcing strategies to support both short- and long-term business objectives/goals.
• Ensure compliance with Procurement Ethics, Procurement Policies, Sarbanes-Oxley, Corporate Standards, Values, Internal Controls, laws, etc.
• Manage supplier relationships and performance, ensuring alignment with SLAs, KPIs, and sustainability objectives.
• Drive cost optimization and procurement efficiencies through spend analysis, demand management, and strategic supplier engagement.
• Stay ahead of industry trends, innovations, and market dynamics to drive procurement excellence and competitive advantage.

If you have the attributes, skills, and experience listed below, we want to hear from you.

• Strong knowledge of Procurement methodology and demonstrated experience in utilizing the 7-step strategic sourcing process across different services categories.
• Understanding of marketplace relating to a particular portfolio of goods and services.
• Solid understanding of business issues and financial principles. Strong capabilities in supplier relationship management
• Well versed in SRM methodology
• Strong knowledge of contract negotiations, risk management, and procurement best practices.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing abilities.
• Proficiency in procurement technologies and ERP systems (e.g., SAP Ariba, Coupa, Oracle).
• Experience working in a global or multinational organization preferred.
• Industry certifications (e.g., CIPS, CPSM) are a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, or a related field.
• 10+ years of procurement and category management experience, with a proven track record in strategic sourcing and supplier management.

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