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Covetrus is a global animal-health technology and services leader dedicated to empowering veterinary practice partners to drive improved health and financial outcomes. We bring together products, services, and technology into a single platform that connects our customers to the solutions and insights they need to work best. Our passion for the well-being of animals and those who care for them drives us to advance the world of veterinary medicine.
This role is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies for assigned indirect spend categories, with a primary focus on Information Technology (IT) subcategories including SaaS and software licensing, cloud and hyperscaler services, infrastructure and hardware, telecom and network services, IT professional services, and managed services. Secondary coverage may include Marketing, Professional Services, Facilities, or HR. This role directly supports company objectives related to cost savings , cash management , and working capital efficiency .
Reporting to the Director of Indirect Procurement, the Category Lead will partner with business stakeholders to deliver measurable, high-impact sourcing solutions, negotiate supplier agreements, year-over-year savings and process improvements, and ensure optimal vendor performance. The ideal candidate combines hands-on IT sourcing expertise and a track record of leveraging AI tools and automation to accelerate sourcing, spend analytics, and contract review with strong analytical, commercial, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Key Responsibilities
Category Strategy & Execution
Own assigned indirect spend categories (with primary ownership of IT subcategories) and build multi-year category strategies and roadmaps aligned to business and financial priorities, with clearly defined savings targets, demand management levers, and supplier rationalization goals.
Conduct market research, supplier benchmarking, and AI-enabled spend analytics to identify savings, value-leakage, and process improvement opportunities.
Lead RFx processes, supplier evaluations, and competitive bidding efforts, including software licensing, SaaS, and cloud renewals; use AI-assisted tooling to accelerate RFP authoring, response evaluation, and contract review.
Manage enterprise IT renewal cycles (e.g., hyperscaler / cloud enterprise agreements, major SaaS platforms, networking and telecom) to lock in favorable pricing, ramped commitments, and contractual protections.
Drive license rationalization, demand right-sizing, and tier optimization across the SaaS and IT portfolio to eliminate over-provisioning and reduce total cost of ownership.
Cost, Cash & Working Capital Focus
Negotiate contracts and supplier agreements that drive measurable hard-dollar savings and cost avoidance, improve payment terms, and support working capital goals.
Collaborate with Finance, IT, and category owners to track realized and forecasted savings, cash impact, and adherence to budget targets, and report category performance against committed savings goals.
Identify opportunities to consolidate suppliers, simplify vendor management, and optimize TCO.
Stakeholder & Supplier Engagement
Act as a key procurement liaisonpartner and trusted advisor for internal clients (e.g., IT, Engineering, Security, Marketing, HR, Legal) within your category scope, embedding procurement early in the technology evaluation and renewal lifecycle.
Partner with stakeholders to define requirements, manage expectations, and deliver quantified procurement value through joint savings plans and category business reviews.
Manage supplier relationships, performance reviews, and corrective action plans as needed.
Compliance & Process Discipline
Ensure contracts and purchases are compliant with procurement policies and internal controls.
Maintain accurate records in sourcing systems and support contract lifecycle management.
Help drive continuous improvement in procurement processes and standardization, including the adoption of AI and workflow automation to reduce cycle time, increase contract review throughput, and improve sourcing decision quality.
Required Qualifications
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Finance, or a related field.
Additional certifications (CPSM, CIPS, or Six Sigma) are a plus.
Experience
5–7 years of procurement or sourcing experience, with at least 3 years in IT and technology sourcing (software/SaaS licensing, cloud/hyperscaler agreements, hardware, telecom, or IT services).
Proven ability to manage category strategies, sourcing projects, and supplier negotiations, with a demonstrable track record of delivering quantified annual savings (hard-dollar and cost-avoidance) on multi-million-dollar IT and indirect spend portfolios.
Experience in mid-sized or privately held companies with a focus on cost and cash efficiency is strongly preferred.
Hands-on experience leveraging AI tools (e.g., contract review, spend analytics, RFP authoring) and workflow automation to accelerate sourcing cycle time and improve decision quality.
Direct experience negotiating enterprise IT agreements with major vendors (e.g., Microsoft, hyperscalers, large SaaS or ERP providers) including renewal strategy, ramped commitments, and discount structures.
Key Skills and Competencies
Solid understanding of category management principles and sourcing best practices Working knowledge of IT subcategory commercial models (SaaS licensing tiers, cloud consumption commitments, hardware lifecycle, telecom rate plans, IT services rate cards) Comfort using AI and automation tools (e.g., CLM platforms, AI contract review, spend analytics, RFP automation) to scale a lean procurement function Strong financial acumen and knowledge of TCO, payment terms, and cash flow levers Excellent negotiation and contract management skills Analytical mindset with the ability to use data and AI-enabled analytics tools to drive sourcing decisions and quantify savings Self-starter with strong organizational skills and attention to detail Comfortable working in a lean team and adapting to changing priorities Effective communicator and cross-functional collaborator who can influence IT, Finance, Legal, and executive stakeholders to align on category strategy and savings priorities Travel Requirement Less than 10% We offer the following benefits for you to take advantage of while you are here provided you meet the eligibility requirements under each governing program:
401k savings & company match Paid time off Paid holidays Maternity leave Parental leave Military leave Other leaves of absence Health, dental, and vision benefits Health savings accounts Flexible spending accounts Life & disability benefits Identity theft protection Pet insurance Certain positions may include eligibility for a short-term incentive plan
Salary may vary depending on factors such as confirmed job-related skills, experience, and location. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the range for their role. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each case. Sales Positions are eligible for a Variable Incentive.
The pay range for this position is as follows:
$107,500-$153,500 Covetrus is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
