Global Category Manager

Job Description

Position Overview

The Professional Services Category Manager is responsible for leading Agilent’s global sourcing strategy, supplier management, and commercial governance for Professional Services and Finance categories. The portfolio includes management consulting, financial and audit consulting, key strategic transformation initiatives, outsourced services, engineering and technical services, research and development support, clinical and laboratory services, and other specialized project resources.

Operating within Global Indirect Procurement and the Corporate Services team, this role partners with senior leaders across the enterprise, including Corporate Development, the Transformation Office, Finance, Global Supply, R&D, and other corporate functions, to optimize cost, improve supplier performance, mitigate risk, and enable enterprise priorities.

The role leads highly visible, complex sourcing initiatives; shapes category direction; influences executive stakeholders across regions; and serves as a procurement subject-matter expert. Success requires exceptional influencing skills, strong stakeholder management, advanced negotiation skills, and a proven ability to deliver results.

Key Responsibilities

Global Category Strategy & Planning

• Develop and execute multi-year global category strategies aligned with Agilent’s business priorities, financial objectives, and transformation agenda.
• Develop and lead Agilent's preferred supplier strategy for professional services, including supplier segmentation, governance, performance management, and adoption across business functions.
• Create category playbooks based on spend, supplier concentration, demand patterns, contract coverage, market dynamics, business risk, and stakeholder requirements.
• Identify and prioritize opportunities for competitive sourcing, supplier consolidation, standardization, demand management, and commercial model optimization.
• Build and maintain a forward-looking pipeline of sourcing events, renewals, and strategic supplier initiatives.

Business Partnership & Executive Influence

• Serve as the primary procurement advisor for Professional Services, helping senior stakeholders select appropriate sourcing strategies, suppliers, engagement models, and commercial structures.
• Influence stakeholders to increase competitive tension, use preferred suppliers, aggregate demand, improve requirements, and adopt enterprise category strategies.
• Present sourcing recommendations, negotiation outcomes, business cases, risks, and decisions in clear executive-level terms.
• Facilitate cross-functional and cross-regional alignment to maximize enterprise leverage while addressing critical business needs.

Strategic Sourcing & Negotiation

• Lead complex global and regional sourcing initiatives, including strategy development, RFPs, RFQs, supplier evaluation, negotiation, recommendation, and implementation.
• Negotiate best-in-class commercial arrangements, including fixed-fee, milestone-based, outcome-based, managed-service, retainer, rate-card, and time-and-material models.
• Develop fact-based negotiation strategies that balance cost, quality, flexibility, speed, innovation, and risk.

Supplier Relationship & Performance Management

• Establish governance frameworks for strategic Professional Services suppliers, including roles, decision rights, escalation paths, KPIs, and executive review cadence.
• Lead supplier business reviews and performance discussions focused on service quality, commercial compliance, measurable outcomes, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Implement scorecards and corrective action plans and hold suppliers accountable for contractual and operational commitments.
• Monitor supplier, concentration, financial, operational, data, and reputational risks and coordinate mitigation plans.
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management, or a consulting background.
• Demonstrated experience managing Professional Services, consulting, outsourcing, or other complex indirect service categories.
• Proven success leading high-value sourcing initiatives and complex commercial negotiations in a global, matrixed organization.
• Strong stakeholder-influencing, analytical, negotiation, and executive communication capabilities.
• Ability to work independently, navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and drive decisions without direct authority.

Preferred

• Master’s degree, MBA, CPSM, CIPS, CPM, or an equivalent professional qualification.
• Experience in life sciences, diagnostics, technology, or another highly regulated global industry.
• Experience implementing preferred supplier programs, managed services, or supplier performance programs.
• Experience with eSourcing, spend analytics, procurement reporting, and contract lifecycle management platforms.

Additional Details

This job has a full time weekly schedule. It includes the option to work remotely. Applications for this job will be accepted until at least October 27, 2026 or until the job is no longer posted.The full-time equivalent pay range for this position is $133,120.00 - $249,600.00/yr plus eligibility for bonus, stock and benefits. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. During the hiring process, a recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for a preferred location. Pay and benefit information by country are available at: https://careers.agilent.com/locationsAgilent Technologies, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity and merit-based employer that values individuals of all backgrounds at all levels. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, religion or religious creed, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, local law, ordinance, or regulation and will not be discriminated against on these bases. Agilent Technologies, Inc., is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive in the workplace where everyone is welcome, and strives to support candidates with disabilities. If you have a disability and need assistance with any part of the application or interview process or have questions about workplace accessibility, please email job_posting@agilent.com or contact +1-262-754-5030. For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please visit www.agilent.com/en/accessibility.

Travel Required:

Occasional

Shift:

Day

Duration:

No End Date

Job Function:

Administration

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As a global leader in laboratory and clinical technologies, we are passionate about bringing great science to life.

Our commitment to quality and innovation supports cutting-edge life science research, patient diagnostics, and ensures the safety of water, food, and pharmaceuticals. As scientists and clinicians pursue small, everyday advances and life-changing discoveries, we provide trusted answers to their most critical questions and challenges.

Leveraging more than 50 years of expertise, we create advanced instruments, software, and consumables supported by teams of highly skilled and knowledgeable people. With 18,000 employees around the world, our global reach and comprehensive solutions provide the most reliable and accurate results, as well as optimal scientific, economic, and operational outcomes. We work collaboratively with our customers on their journey to make a real difference in human lives. Our culture is founded on trust, respect, and uncompromising integrity, and we pride ourselves on being a dynamic and inclusive workplace that celebrates diversity and fosters innovation.

We can’t wait for you to join us as we continue our mission to improve the world around us. Information about Agilent is available at Agilent.com.