Category Manager - IT

About FlightSafety International

FlightSafety International is the world’s premier professional aviation training company and supplier of flight simulators, visual systems and displays to commercial, government and military organizations. The company provides training for pilots, technicians and other aviation professionals from 167 countries and independent territories. FlightSafety operates the world’s largest fleet of advanced full-flight simulators and award-winning maintenance training at Learning Centers and training locations in the United States, Canada, France and the United Kingdom.

The Category Manager is responsible for the development and execution of Supplier and Category strategies driving long-term improvements in service, quality, cost, delivery, and innovation, enhancing the competitive and commercial performance of FlightSafety International and its customer base. This position also manages a portfolio across several suppliers and executes the relevant Category strategies by leading the sourcing process, negotiating with approved suppliers, and culminating in a contract that meets the product or service requirements. The Category Manager manages the commercial and contractual relationships within their portfolio, ensuring commercial issues are appropriately and expeditiously resolved.

The following duties are essential to the successful and satisfactory performance of this job. Other duties may be assigned.

• Lead the department s mission for achieving targeted outcomes, process efficiencies, and cost reduction goals.


• Develop strategy and best practices to ensure data integrity and completeness in all purchasing-related applications.


• Collaborate within the organization to develop and implement creative procurement plans to offer opportunities for strategic sourcing through the formal bidding process.


• Responsible for conducting spend analysis, analyzing supply markets, identifying sourcing value levels, executing competitive Request for Proposals (RFIs,/RFPs) and leading supplier negotiations.


• Develop and maintain relationships with key business leaders to understand and support their supplier needs.


• Provide clear direction and motivation to teammates to accomplish fiscal goals.


• Ensure that purchasing activities are on track and reach important financial objectives and cost-saving targets.


• Support the enterprise-wide framework for supplier evaluation and engagement, establishing participation criteria, presentations, negotiations, and contract finalization. Monitor and evaluate contractual arrangements to ensure suppliers are complying with agreements already in place.


• Develops, maintains, and executes the portfolio of Category and Supplier Strategies.


• Leads the procurement and sourcing processes while maintaining strict compliance with FlightSafety International purchasing systems, processes, and policies.


• Applies tools, techniques, and processes to develop robust strategies, manage the supplier relationship, and identify areas of improvement and drive corrective actions


• Manages suppliers to meet business objectives, partnering with these suppliers to build capabilities that meet the expanding needs of the business through effective service, quality, cost, delivery, and innovation performance.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or Supply Management, preferred

• 5 to 10 years professional experience in procurement, project management or supply chain management

• High degree of financial and problem-solving ability
• Basic understanding of e-procurement processes and systems
• Expertise with IT and Information Security commodities
• Understanding of Six Sigma and Project Management methodologies
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Familiarity with procurement philosophies, methodologies, policies and procedures, required.
• Experience with drafting, negotiating, and managing contractual agreements that include software licensing agreements, master service agreements, and statements of work.
• An understanding of software licensing and the various models in which you can procure software from the market.
• A working knowledge of service level agreements and other key metrics that are associated with an IT agreement.
• An understand of information security sourcing and the products available, the candidate will need to be able to align with the strategy of the information security team to secure the necessary products for the enterprise.
• Ability to interact with various levels of management in a professional manner.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and communicate. The employee may be required to stand; walk; sit. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the ability to view monitors, technical documents, and reference material. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

FlightSafety is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Vet/Disabled. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability.