Category Manager - Procurement & Strategic Sourcing

Job Title: Category Manager
Primary Location: Hybrid in Northbrook, IL (3 Days in Office)
Position Type: W2 Contract

Overview
TalentFish is seeking a highly skilled and proactive Category Manager to lead the strategic sourcing of capital equipment for laboratory construction projects. This individual will manage end-to-end sourcing activities while ensuring alignment with project schedules, technical specifications, budgets, quality requirements, and compliance standards.

The Category Manager will partner closely with business leaders and cross-functional teams to promote early sourcing involvement, improve supplier performance, mitigate risk, and optimize the overall value of capital equipment investments. The ideal candidate will bring subject matter expertise in electrical and electronic equipment, highly engineered capital equipment, and regulated project environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for capital equipment used in laboratory construction and infrastructure projects.
• Source laboratory and facility equipment, including environmental chambers, regenerative thermal oxidizers, HVAC systems, electrical and electronic equipment, and other critical infrastructure.
• Partner with Facilities, Environmental Health and Safety, Construction, Project Management, Quality, Engineering, and other business teams to define technical and operational requirements.
• Align sourcing activities and supplier lead times with overall construction and project schedules.
• Engage business stakeholders early in project planning and budgeting to identify sourcing opportunities, risks, and dependencies.
• Lead competitive bidding processes, including requests for quotation and requests for proposal.
• Evaluate suppliers based on pricing, technical capabilities, quality, capacity, delivery performance, risk, and service levels.
• Negotiate complex supplier agreements, pricing structures, commercial terms, payment terms, warranties, and service commitments.
• Coordinate the timely execution of master service agreements, statements of work, purchase orders, and other contractual documents.
• Promote compliance with established sourcing policies, supplier qualification requirements, contract lead times, and standard payment terms.
• Monitor supplier performance, manufacturing progress, delivery schedules, quality metrics, and project risks throughout the equipment lifecycle.
• Participate in supplier manufacturing and quality audits in partnership with Quality leadership.
• Assess supplier quality systems, production capacity, testing capabilities, manufacturing controls, facility organization, and overall operational readiness.
• Develop dashboards, reports, and stakeholder updates that provide visibility into sourcing progress, supplier performance, project risks, and required actions.
• Educate internal business partners on sourcing processes through playbooks, training sessions, and collaborative project planning.
• Proactively address equipment delays, specification changes, budget constraints, supplier risks, and other issues that could affect project execution.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of strategic sourcing, category management, or procurement experience.
• Significant experience sourcing capital equipment, laboratory infrastructure, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, or highly engineered systems.
• Subject matter expert-level understanding of electrical and electronic equipment.
• Demonstrated experience managing custom-built or highly engineered capital equipment.
• Strong understanding of equipment specifications, supplier manufacturing processes, project lead times, and capital project requirements.
• Experience developing and managing competitive RFQ and RFP processes.
• Proven success negotiating complex supplier contracts and managing strategic vendor relationships.
• Ability to align sourcing timelines with construction, engineering, and overall project schedules.
• Experience working within regulated environments.
• Experience participating in supplier manufacturing or quality audits.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and promote sourcing compliance.
• Familiarity with sourcing, procurement, reporting, and project management systems.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, or a related discipline.
• Experience supporting data center construction or infrastructure projects.
• Experience sourcing environmental chambers, regenerative thermal oxidizers, HVAC systems, laboratory equipment, or similar capital assets.
• Experience balancing technical equipment specifications with project budgets and commercial requirements.
  

Compensation Information
The expected salary range for this position is $55.00 - $67.50 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications. This role also qualifies for comprehensive benefits such as health insurance and paid time off. TalentFish is committed to pay transparency and equal opportunity. The salary range provided is in compliance with applicable state and federal regulations.

This role requires authorization to work in the U.S. without current or future visa sponsorship.

All offers are contingent upon the completion of a background check, which may include but is not limited to reference checks, education verification, employment verification, drug testing, criminal records checks, and any required certifications or compliance requirements based on the end client's background check policies and applicable laws.

TalentFish is an employee-owned company pioneering a new realm in talent acquisition. We are redefining IT staffing by evolving AI, video screening, and our unique platform. TalentFish focuses on providing the best employee, consultant, and client experience possible.
At TalentFish we are an Equal Opportunity Employer; we embrace and encourage diversity!