Technology Category Manager

As our Technology Category Manager, you will lead the end-to-end sourcing strategy and supplier management lifecycle for Avalara's technology spend, including enterprise SaaS, software, and hardware. You will be a trusted advisor to IT, Security, Legal, Finance, and business leaders on commercial strategy and market insights, including AI and other industry trends. Reporting to the Head of Procurement, you will talk with senior leadership including the SVP of Finance, CIO, and CFO. Your goals will be to guide value, manage risk, improve spend, ensure ROI, and lead supplier performance. This is a high-visibility, individual contributor role where you will work with partners to support technology standardization and rationalization efforts. This is an individual contributor position with no direct reports. This is a remote position in the United States.

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  Develop and maintain multi-year category strategies for SaaS, software, and hardware, keeping at the forefront of industry trends in consideration of financial, business, and IT roadmaps

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  Lead complex sourcing plans, including RFPs, renewals, and the negotiation of enterprise technology agreements such as SaaS subscriptions, licensing, maintenance, and hardware

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  Guide total cost of ownership (TCO) optimization and cost savings, focusing on driving total cost reduction at contract renewal through price holds and true-downs

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  Establish and lead regular Supplier Business Reviews (SBRs) with strategic technology suppliers, holding them accountable to performance, service levels, and innovation commitments

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  Monitor supplier risk in partnership with Security, Vendor Risk, and Legal teams, ensuring contracts meet compliance, security, and risk management standards

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  Collaborate with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, and spend transparency projects

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  Build executive-level relationships with main suppliers to support long-term strategic value

Supporting diversity and inclusion is a cornerstone of our company — we don’t want people to fit into our culture, but to enrich it. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, national orientation, disability, sexual orientation, US Veteran status, or any other factor protected by law. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

• 5+ years of progressive experience in strategic procurement or category management, with a strong focus on technology categories (particularly SaaS)

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain, or a related field

• Experience negotiating enterprise-level technology agreements that maximize value, flexibility, and scalability, with a strong understanding of software licensing models, cost drivers, and levers

• Proven experience leading supplier governance programs and conducting executive-level supplier reviews

• A strong foundation in driving measurable impact from using AI, with familiarity leveraging generative and agentic AI tools (including OpenAI and Glean) to improve efficiency

• Proficiency with NetSuite, Zip, Jira, ServiceNow, and IronClad, along with experience using similar ERP, P2P, Project Management, and Contract Lifecycle Management tools

• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to partner effectively with IT, Finance, Legal, Security, and senior business leaders

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