(Senior) Category Manager IT & Software (m/f/d)

At 1KOMMA5°, we pursue a clear vision: Living on wind and sunlight forever for free. To make this a reality, we are building the energy system of the future with Heartbeat AI. Want to be part of it?
We bring together regional craftsmanship and scalable software: We don't think of solar, batteries, heat pumps, and e-mobility as isolated components, but control them as an intelligent, integrated overall system in our virtual power plant. Directly connected to the electricity market – in real time, fully automated. This way, energy is used when it is available from renewables and particularly cost-effective. By 2030, our goal is to transition 1.5 million households to renewable energies. Over 3,000 people are working towards this every day, at more than 80 locations worldwide, from Finland to Australia.

• End-to-end responsibility for the SaaS, licences, hardware, and IT services categories
• Development and execution of a clear category strategy focused on volume consolidation, cost reduction, and sustainable supplier relationships
• Execution of RFQ/RFP processes, recurring negotiations, and complex price negotiations with IT vendors and software providers
• Management and development of existing supplier relationships with a focus on contract quality and cost optimisation

• Consolidation of software landscapes: identifying redundancies, overlaps, and consolidation potential across business units
• Development and execution of ambitious cost-down initiatives through volume bundling and contract optimisation
• Building structured forecasting for licence and hardware volumes to proactively manage demand and contract cycles
• Negotiation of enterprise agreements and framework contracts with strategic IT suppliers

• Close collaboration with business units as a strategic partner and critical sparring partner
• Actively challenging existing software and hardware needs: Why does a solution exist? Are there alternatives? Can multiple tools be replaced by one?
• Guiding new requirements from structured market screening through to contract award — including vendor evaluation and comparison
• Promoting a cross-functional awareness of cost and efficiency in the use of IT resources

• KPI-based steering and data-driven reporting across all managed categories
• Standardisation of workflows in ERP and procurement systems
• Active knowledge sharing and promotion of best practices within the team

• Degree in Business Informatics, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a comparable field — ideally with a technical or IT-related focus
• Several years of experience in strategic indirect procurement of IT hardware and software
• Strong understanding of SaaS models, licence structures, hardware procurement, and IT service contracts
• Experience conducting RFQ/RFP processes, recurring negotiations, and structuring enterprise agreements and framework contracts
• Proven track record in volume consolidation and delivering cost-down initiatives
• Strong ability to critically challenge requirements and evaluate alternatives in a structured way
• Highly analytical and data-driven, with a solid understanding of cost structures and contract models
• Confident communicator, persuasive with both business stakeholders and external suppliers at all levels
• Fluent in English