Category Manager, Marketing

Category Manager, Marketing

Bellevue, Washington

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Okta is The World's Identity Company. We free everyone to safely use any technology, anywhere, on any device or app. Our flexible and neutral products, Okta Platform and Auth0 Platform, provide secure access, authentication, and automation, placing identity at the core of business security and growth.

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Okta's Strategic Sourcing and Procurement (SS&P) Team

Okta's Strategic Sourcing and Procurement (SS&P) team is looking for an experienced Category Manager to support and lead sourcing activities for our Marketing spend globally. The primary objective of this position is to maximize value, minimize risk, and ensure our marketing team has the supplier support it needs to succeed.

Job Summary

In this role, you will be a trusted partner to our Marketing stakeholders, helping to standardize and streamline procurement processes. You will be responsible for developing and executing the sourcing strategy for the Marketing category, leading complex negotiations, and driving cost-saving initiatives while maintaining service quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute proactive sourcing strategies for the Marketing category, working closely with functional groups to understand their long-term needs and deliver tangible value.
• Manage the entire lifecycle of sourcing projects from end-to-end, including conducting RFIs, RFPs, and market assessments to lead supplier selection activities.
• Lead commercial term negotiations for project-level agreements (Statements of Work, Order Forms) and partner with Legal on Master Service Agreements (MSAs), ensuring favorable terms and compliance.
• Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities through strategic negotiations and process improvements. Develop and track KPIs to measure savings and value.
• Build strong relationships with Marketing stakeholders to understand their objectives and align procurement initiatives with their business requirements, guiding them through the entire sourcing process.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key Marketing suppliers, ensuring they meet performance expectations, quality standards, and contractual agreements.
• Ensure adherence to Okta's SS&P policies and procedures. Help develop and implement governance to drive performance, mitigate risk, and improve operational efficiency.
• Conduct internal and external data analysis to provide clear, actionable insights. Regularly update leadership on strategy progress, savings, and market trends.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, or a related field
• Minimum of 3+ years of experience in strategic sourcing and procurement, with experience in Marketing including Creative & Brand, PR/Communications, Swag, Paid Media, Web Marketing and Events
• Proven ability to lead contract and commercial term negotiations independently.
• Experience managing multiple projects in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Familiarity with the procure-to-pay process and proficiency in tools like Google Workspace and MS Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certifications such as CSCP, CPSM, or CPIM.
• Strong negotiation skills and experience in leading negotiations across various services and indirect categories.
• Independently run and manage RFPs.
• Ability to be responsible for multiple projects with tight target dates.
• Familiarity with the procure-to-pay process and vendor management principles.
• Excellent project management and time management skills.
• Proficiency with analytics and reporting.
• Experience with ERP and financial systems. Familiarity with Coupa, Workday/ScoutRFP is a plus.

Benefits and Compensation

The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in the San Francisco Bay area is between: $100,000-$150,000 USD

Below is the annual base salary range for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York and Washington. Your actual base salary will depend on factors such as your skills, qualifications, experience, and work location. In addition, Okta offers equity (where applicable), bonus, and benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), flexible spending account, and paid leave (including PTO and parental leave) in accordance with our applicable plans and policies.

About Okta

Okta is the leading independent provider of identity for the enterprise. The Okta Identity Cloud enables organizations to securely connect the right people to the right technologies at the right time. With over 7,000 pre-built integrations to applications and infrastructure providers, Okta customers can easily and securely use the best technologies for their business. More than 19,300 organizations, including JetBlue, Nordstrom, Slack, T-Mobile, Takeda, Teach for America, and Twilio, trust Okta to help protect the identities of their workforces and customers.

Why Work at Okta?

Okta cultivates a dynamic work environment, providing the best tools, technology and benefits to empower our employees to work productively in a setting that best and uniquely suits their needs. Each organization is unique in the degree of flexibility and mobility in which they work so that all employees are enabled to be their most creative and successful versions of themselves, regardless of where they live. Find your place at Okta today!

Equal Opportunity Employer

Okta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, or status as a protected veteran. We also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and convictions records, consistent with applicable laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to complete any part of the job application, interview process, or onboarding please use this Form to request an accommodation.

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