Lead Category Manager

at  Transamerica

Job Family
Procurement
About Us
At Transamerica, hard work, innovative thinking, and personal accountability are qualities we honor and reward. We understand the potential of leveraging the talents of a diverse workforce. We embrace an environment where employees enjoy a balance between their careers, families, communities, and personal interests.
Ultimately, we appreciate the uniqueness of a company where talented professionals work collaboratively in a positive environment — one focused on helping people look forward and plan for the best life possible while providing tools and solutions that make it easier to get there.
Who We Are
We believe everyone deserves to live their best life. More than a century ago, we were among the first financial services companies in America to serve everyday people from all walks of life.
Today, we’re part of an international holding company, with millions of customers and thousands of employees worldwide. Our insurance, retirement, and investment solutions help people make the most of what’s important to them.
We’re empowered by a vast agent network covering North America, with diversity to match. Together with our nonprofit research institute and foundation, we tune in, step up, and are a force for good — for our customers and the communities where we live, work, and play. United in our purpose, we help people create the financial freedom to live life on their terms.
What We Do
Transamerica is organized into three distinct businesses. These include 1) World Financial Group, including Transamerica Financial Advisors, 2) Protection Solutions and Savings & Investments, comprised of life insurance, annuities, employee benefits, retirement plans, and Transamerica Investment Solutions, and 3) Financial Assets, which includes legacy blocks of long term care, universal life, and variable and fixed annuities. These are supported by Transamerica Corporate, which includes Finance, People and Places, General Counsel, Risk, Internal Audit, Strategy and Development, and Corporate Affairs, which covers Communications, Brand, and Government and Policy Affairs.
Transamerica employs nearly 7,000 people. It’s part of Aegon, an integrated, diversified, international financial services group serving approximately 23.9 million customers worldwide.* For more information, visit
transamerica.com
.
Job Description Summary
Our Procurement Team has an exciting opening for a Lead Category Manager role. In this role, you will identify and engage with the best suppliers to negotiate optimal contracts that balance speed to market, access to needed capabilities, organizational risk tolerance, cost containment, supplier-driven innovation, etc. Act as a trusted advisor to business stakeholders to deliver value through a comprehensive and ethical sourcing approach that supports business priorities and improves long-term partnerships with stakeholders and suppliers.
Job Description

Responsibilities:

• Provide valued insight of the external marketplace dynamics, trends, spend analysis, and benchmarks to inform decision-makers and create category strategies for acquisition of performance and outcome-based technology contracts.
• Optimize category value through strategies such as supplier stratification, supply base rationalization, supply chain business continuity, technology roadmap/supplier alignment, supplier-driven innovation/value creation, directed buys, and competitive bidding.
• Lead and coordinate procurement of needed technology contracts, managing the entire lifecycle from strategy through execution, including RFx solicitation, bid evaluation, and supplier negotiations for software, services, systems integration, IT outsourcing, and similar engagements.
• Communicate professionally with internal stakeholders and external suppliers at all levels from operational through executive as the “face of procurement.”
• Act as a trusted advisor to business stakeholders for all procurement decisions related to the category.
• Maintain current knowledge of the supplier marketplace, emerging technologies, diverse suppliers, regulatory changes, pricing trends, and other relevant market dynamics.
• Assure year-over-year supplier productivity improvements via contractual process improvement, automation, and innovation investments.
• Deploy successful engagement model with suppliers, partnering with VMO, Legal, and business stakeholders.
• Negotiate contracts, and contract change orders and act as a mentor to other team members on complex negotiations.
• Assure continuous improvement of category process, strategies, data sources, tools, and metrics.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain management, information systems, information technology, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• Ten years of experience in category management, procurement, strategic sourcing, supplier management, and contract management
• Strong supplier identification, evaluation, and selection skills
• Excellent negotiation skills with the ability to build good rapport with suppliers, while keeping the company’s interests in mind
• Skilled in supplier management, procurement, and category management best practices and industry trends for relevant technology space
• Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills requiring a balance of assertiveness, tact and diplomacy
• Strong business acumen and ability to put strategic plans into operations, influence others, and drive change
• Ability to influence and lead conversations, collaborate, facilitate, and achieve consensus among key stakeholders
• Ability to work effectively and cultivate relationships across all levels of the organization and external parties
• Ability to work effectively with teams across geographic locations and time zones
• Ability to manage ambiguous situations and drive towards clarification
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, and attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure, set priorities, and meet deadlines in a rapid-paced environment
• Self-motivated and the ability to manage multiple projects and support activities within a single job function

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified Sourcing Professional (CSP), Certified Outsourcing Professional (COP), or similar industry certification
• Participation in Sourcing, Procurement, and or Outsourcing Industry Associations such as Sourcing Industry Group (SIG), International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP), Procurement Foundry, institute for Supply Management (ISM), or National Contract Management Association (NCMA)
• Global perspective and experience working with diverse customer and suppliers
• Experience managing technology suppliers with global product/service provisioning models
• Experience in the diversified financial services or similar highly regulated industry
• Understanding of technology architecture, suppliers, products, and services including hardware, software, systems integration, network, telecommunications, applications, software, SaaS, PaaS/IaaS, etc.
• Experience working in a Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system

Working Conditions:

• Commuting Remote employees will need to report to a Company office location at times, but will perform their work primarily remotely.
• Occasional travel for business meetings

Please note that the compensation information that follows is a good faith estimate for this position only and is provided pursuant to applicable pay transparency and compensation posting laws. It is estimated based on what a successful candidate might be paid in certain Company locations.
The Salary for this position generally ranges between $106,000 - $130,000 annually. This range is an estimate, based on potential qualifications and operational needs. Salary may vary above and below the stated amounts, as permitted by applicable law.
Additionally, this position is typically eligible for an Annual Bonus based on the Company Bonus Plan/Individual Performance and is at Company discretion.
Worried about not having every single qualification listed? It’s okay. If it’s a role you’re interested in, we encourage you to apply. Employees who enjoy their jobs are one of our favorite things.
What We Offer
For eligible employees, we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support both the personal and financial well-being of our employees.

Compensation Benefits

• Competitive Pay
• Bonus for Eligible Employees

Benefits Package

• Pension Plan
• 401k Match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Disability Insurance
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Employee Discounts
• Career Training & Development Opportunities

Health and Work/Life Balance Benefits

• Paid Time Off starting at 160 hours annually for employees in their first year of service.
• Ten (10) paid holidays per year (typically mirroring the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) holidays).
• Be Well Company holistic wellness program, which includes Wellness Coaching and Reward Dollars
• Parental Leave – fifteen (15) days of paid parental leave per calendar year to eligible employees with at least one year of service at the time of birth, placement of an adopted child, or placement of a foster care child.
• Adoption Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program
• College Coach Program
• Back-Up Care Program
• PTO for Volunteer Hours
• Employee Matching Gifts Program
• Employee Resource Groups
• Inclusion and Diversity Programs
• Employee Recognition Program
• Referral Bonus Programs

Inclusion & Diversity
We believe our commitment to diversity and inclusion creates a work environment filled with exceptional individuals. We’re thrilled to have been recognized for our efforts through the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, Dave Thomas Adoption Friendly Advocate, and several Seramount lists, including the Inclusion Index, 100 Best Companies for Working Parents, Best Companies for Dads, and Top 75 Companies for Executive Women.
To foster a culture of inclusivity throughout our workforce, workplace, and marketplace, Transamerica offers a wide range of diversity and inclusion programs. This includes our company-sponsored, employee-driven Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are formed around a shared interest or a common characteristic of diversity. ERGs are open to all employees. They provide a supportive environment to help us better appreciate our similarities and differences and understand how they benefit us all.
Giving Back
We believe our responsibilities extend beyond our corporate walls. That’s why we created the
Aegon Transamerica Foundation
in 1994. Through a mix of financial grants and the volunteer efforts of our employees, the foundation supports nonprofit organizations focused on the things that matter most to our people in the communities where we live and work.
Transamerica’s Parent Company
Aegon

acquired the Transamerica business in 1999. Since its start in 1844, Aegon has grown into an international company serving more than 23.9 million people across the globe.* It offers investment, protection, and retirement solutions, always with a clear purpose: Helping people live their best lives. As a leading global investor and employer, the company seeks to have a positive impact by addressing critical environmental and societal issues, with a focus on climate change and inclusion and diversity.

• As of December 31, 2023

Responsibilities:

• Provide valued insight of the external marketplace dynamics, trends, spend analysis, and benchmarks to inform decision-makers and create category strategies for acquisition of performance and outcome-based technology contracts.
• Optimize category value through strategies such as supplier stratification, supply base rationalization, supply chain business continuity, technology roadmap/supplier alignment, supplier-driven innovation/value creation, directed buys, and competitive bidding.
• Lead and coordinate procurement of needed technology contracts, managing the entire lifecycle from strategy through execution, including RFx solicitation, bid evaluation, and supplier negotiations for software, services, systems integration, IT outsourcing, and similar engagements.
• Communicate professionally with internal stakeholders and external suppliers at all levels from operational through executive as the “face of procurement.”
• Act as a trusted advisor to business stakeholders for all procurement decisions related to the category.
• Maintain current knowledge of the supplier marketplace, emerging technologies, diverse suppliers, regulatory changes, pricing trends, and other relevant market dynamics.
• Assure year-over-year supplier productivity improvements via contractual process improvement, automation, and innovation investments.
• Deploy successful engagement model with suppliers, partnering with VMO, Legal, and business stakeholders.
• Negotiate contracts, and contract change orders and act as a mentor to other team members on complex negotiations.
• Assure continuous improvement of category process, strategies, data sources, tools, and metrics