Category Manager - Engineering Tools and Data & Analytics
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Job description
The Category Manager, Engineering Tools and Data & Analytics is a strategic role
responsible for Sourcing of all tools and technology in this space, along with developing
and executing category strategies for the technology products and services that enable
UKG’s engineering, data and analytics capabilities.
This role serves as a trusted partner to the business. In this role, you will drive total cost of
ownership (TCO) optimization, supplier rationalization, complex commercial negotiations,
and proactive risk management-ensuring UKG leverages best-in-class tools and data
infrastructure to accelerate product innovation, operational scale, and margin discipline., Category Strategy & Business Partnership
- Develop and execute multi-year category strategies for Engineering Tools and Data &
Analytics, aligned to UKG’s technology roadmap, product priorities, financial
objectives, and enterprise risk requirements.
- Conduct ongoing market research, spend analytics, and technology benchmarking
to identify emerging industry trends, licensing innovations, and value creation
opportunities.
- Partner with stakeholders to understand requirements, forecast demand, evaluate
market options, and align sourcing priorities with technology roadmaps and
budgets.
- Drive proactive portfolio management to identify opportunities for supplier
consolidation, application rationalization, and demand optimization across
technology domains.
- Build and maintain a robust sourcing, renewal, and value-creation pipeline across
the category portfolio.
Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Management
- Lead complex end-to-end sourcing initiatives (RFx processes), competitive bidding,
supplier selection, and deal structuring for enterprise software, SaaS, cloud
platforms, and technical services.
- Lead commercial negotiations for complex technology agreements-including user-
based, capacity, and usage-based licensing models-to secure favorable pricing,
terms, and conditions.
- Optimize commercial structures and contractual protections, including license
metrics, usage tiers, minimum commitments, price protection, renewal and
termination rights, audit provisions, service levels, data-use rights, and intellectual
property terms.
- Deliver measurable financial and operational outcomes across total cost of
ownership (TCO) reduction, cost avoidance, P&L savings, and working capital
optimization.
- Proactively manage renewal timelines, commercial milestones, and lead times to
preserve negotiating leverage and support business continuity.
Stakeholder Alignment & Value Delivery
- Partner closely with Engineering, Product, Enterprise Data, Information Security,
Legal, and Finance teams to align category strategies with business priorities and
tech roadmaps.
- Translate complex technical and business requirements into actionable sourcing
plans and scenario-based negotiation strategies.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to senior engineering and data leaders, oVering market
insights and commercial expertise on key vendor investments.
First 12-18 Month Priorities
- Baseline UKG’s Engineering Tools and Data & Analytics portfolio, including spend,
suppliers, contracts, entitlements, utilization, renewal timing, commercial models,
and risk exposure.
- Develop and align multi-year category strategies and commercial roadmaps with
internal stakeholders.
- Establish an 18- to 24-month sourcing and renewal pipeline that improves planning,
preserves leverage, and reduces reactive negotiations.
- Identify and execute supplier, tool, and license rationalization opportunities that
reduce duplication, shelfware, and unnecessary complexity.
- Deliver measurable savings, cost avoidance, demand optimization, and budget
predictability aligned to UKG’s financial objectives.
- Implement structured supplier governance and performance management for the
category’s most strategic and high-impact suppliers., UKG is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, disability, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.
View The EEO Know Your Rights poster (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/EEOC_KnowYourRights_screen_reader_10_20.pdf)
UKG participates in E-Verify. View the E-Verify posters here (https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/EVerifyParticipationPoster.pdf) .
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Requirements
- 5-7+ years of progressive experience in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Category
Management, or Supplier Management, including 5+ years supporting technology
categories.
-
Preferable experience of managing portfolio spend of at least $100-150 Million.
-
Demonstrated experience developing and executing category strategies across
engineering tools, software and SaaS, data and analytics platforms, cloud or data
services, AI/ML technologies, or related technology services.
- Proven track record leading complex sourcing events and negotiations for enterprise
software, subscription and consumption models, professional or managed
services, MSAs, SOWs, and licensing agreements.
- Strong knowledge of technology commercial models, total cost of ownership,
contract lifecycle management, supplier performance, and third-party risk
management.
- Experience using spend, market, benchmark, usage, and financial data to develop
business cases and make data-driven sourcing recommendations.
- Experience operating in a global, fast-paced organization while managing multiple
complex initiatives and stakeholders.
- Familiarity with procurement, contract lifecycle, ERP, and analytics platforms;
practical experience using AI-enabled tools to improve sourcing eVectiveness is
preferred.
- Strong collaborative skillset to work amongst multiple stakeholders and
departments.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Information Technology,
Engineering, Data or a related field; an advanced degree or relevant procurement
certification is preferred.
Core Capabilities
- Executive presence and strong stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to
operate as a trusted advisor to senior technical, business, and finance leaders.
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, including the ability to translate technical
requirements and complex licensing or consumption models into clear business
decisions.
- Data-driven and intellectually curious mindset with the ability to synthesize market,
financial, technical, and supplier information into actionable insights.
- Excellent negotiation, communication, presentation, project management, and
problem-solving skills.
- Collaborative, business-oriented professional who leads through influence and
builds trusted relationships across the business and with suppliers.
- Growth mindset with a strong bias for action: raises the bar, moves with urgency,
remains resilient through ambiguity, and takes ownership to deliver meaningful
outcomes in a fast-paced, evolving organization.
About the company
At UKG, the work you do matters. The code you ship, the decisions you make, and the care you show a customer all add up to real impact. Today, tens of millions of workers start and end their days with our workforce operating platform. Helping people get paid, grow in their careers, and shape the future of their industries. That’s what we do.
We never stop learning. We never stop challenging the norm. We push for better, and we celebrate the wins along the way. Here, you’ll get flexibility that’s real, benefits you can count on, and a team that succeeds together. Because at UKG, your work matters-and so do you., UKG is the Workforce Operating Platform that puts workforce understanding to work. With the world’s largest collection of workforce insights, and people-first AI, our ability to reveal unseen ways to build trust, amplify productivity, and empower talent, is unmatched. It’s this expertise that equips our customers with the intelligence to solve any challenge in any industry - because great organizations know their workforce is their competitive edge. Learn more at ukg.com.
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