IT Sourcing & RFP Specialist Sr.

Overview:

TekWissen is a global workforce management provider headquartered in Ann Arbor Michigan that offers strategic talent solutions to our clients world-wide. Our client is an American organization that operates Texass electrical grid the Texas Interconnection which supplies power to more than 25 million Texas customers and represents 90 percent of the states electric load. Our client is the first independent system operator (ISO) in the United States and one of nine ISOs in North America. Our client works with the Texas Reliability Entity (TRE) one of eight regional entities within the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) that coordinate to improve reliability of the bulk power grid. Our client is a membership-based 501(c) nonprofit corporation and its members include consumers electric cooperatives generators power marketers retail electric providers investor-owned electric utilities (transmission and distribution providers) and municipally owned electric utilities.

Position: IT Sourcing & RFP Specialist Sr.

Location: Taylor TX 76574

Duration: 24 Months

Job Type: Temporary Assignment

Work Type: Hybrid 2 times a week minimum onsite local candidate or willing to relocate

Job Description:

Job Summary:

The client is seeking an experienced IT Sourcing & RFP Specialist Sr contractor to provide specialized procurement support with a focus on complex information technology acquisitions. This contractor will manage end-to-end IT RFP and sourcing activities including software SaaS infrastructure professional services and managed services while senior procurement staff are engaged on key organizational transformation initiatives. The contractor is expected to operate independently apply deep IT vendor market knowledge and deliver high-quality procurement outcomes with minimal direction.

Equally critical to success in this role is the ability to communicate effectively and tactfully across client diverse business domains and stakeholder groups including IT legal finance operations and executive leadership. The contractor must be adept at navigating competing priorities managing expectations and building trust across organizational boundaries ensuring that procurement activities remain aligned with client s business objectives even in a complex multi-stakeholder environment.

Core Responsibilities:

IT RFP & Sourcing Leadership

• Lead end-to-end RFP/RFQ processes for complex IT procurements including enterprise software SaaS platforms cloud infrastructure cybersecurity solutions managed services and professional IT services
• Develop comprehensive RFP documentation including scope of work technical requirements evaluation criteria SLAs and KPIs in collaboration with IT stakeholders and legal counsel
• Manage full competitive sourcing lifecycle: gathering requirements RFP issuance Q&A management vendor response evaluation down-selection and contract award recommendation
• Facilitate cross-functional evaluation teams across IT legal finance security and business units to assess vendor proposals against technical and commercial criteria
• Conduct detailed total cost of ownership (TCO) and economic analyses to support sourcing decisions and executive-level recommendations

Contract Negotiation & Execution

• Lead complex IT contract negotiations independently including software license agreements SaaS subscriptions cloud service agreements professional services agreements and maintenance & support contracts
• Draft and negotiate SLAs KPIs data security provisions IP ownership clauses and terms & conditions in coordination with legal counsel and IT security teams
• Prepare executive-level presentations summarizing negotiation strategies vendor comparisons risk assessments and contract award recommendations
• Manage contract execution through signature and transition to contract administration ensuring all documentation is complete and archived

Vendor & Supplier Management

• Build and manage relationships with IT vendors and system integrators including structured vendor performance reviews (QBRs) coordination.
• Identify and qualify new IT vendors through competitive reviews financial analysis security assessments and reference checks
• Monitor contracted IT suppliers for SLA adherence issue escalation and corrective action management
• Actively drives cost reduction and value optimization initiatives across the IT supplier portfolio
• Support ERCOT s Vendor Qualification process for IT vendors in collaboration with IT security legal credit and business owners

Operational Procurement Support

• Manage a portfolio of IT contracts and purchases more than $20MM annually
• Serve as day-to-day procurement point of contact for IT business units triggering sourcing requests and advising on procurement pathways and contract strategy
• Review and approve requisitions in the ERP system to ensure required documentation is present and compliant
• Maintain timely and accurate updates to contract databases reflecting the status of all active IT contract requests
• Coordinate with IT project managers to develop statements of work that clearly define scope deliverables acceptance criteria and vendor obligations
• Generate procurement reports and dashboards as requested by IT leadership and procurement management
• Help coordinate with internal customers during all stages of RFQ/RFP development including scheduling and facilitating vendor meetings

Quality & Compliance

• Serve as a quality assurance resource for IT procurement documents ensuring consistency completeness and compliance with client policies
• Maintain comprehensive procurement records in accordance with client s record management requirements
• Responding to executive inquiries and ad hoc reporting requests related to IT sourcing activity
• Maintain current knowledge of IT market trends vendor landscape licensing models (perpetual subscription consumption-based) and industry best practices

Stakeholder Communication & Collaboration

• Proactively identify and navigate competing priorities across client business domains (IT legal finance operations compliance) facilitating alignment and constructive resolution when stakeholder needs or timelines conflict
• Communicate clearly professionally and tactfully with stakeholders across all levels of client from project managers and IT architects to department directors and executive leadership adapting communication styles to suit the audience and context
• Serve as a trusted procurement advisor to IT business partners providing timely guidance on sourcing strategies contract risks and vendor options in a manner that supports informed decision-making without creating unnecessary friction
• Manage stakeholder expectations throughout the full procurement lifecycle provide regular status updates escalating issues appropriately and maintaining a solutions-oriented approach when challenges arise
• Facilitate cross-functional meetings and working sessions with diplomacy ensuring all stakeholder voices are heard while keeping procurement timelines on track
• Draft and deliver clear concise written communications including procurement status reports executive summaries vendor evaluations and contract award recommendations tailored for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Build and sustain positive working relationships with internal client customers vendors and cross-domain partners fostering a collaborative environment that supports procurement efficiency and shared accountability

Required Qualifications:

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of hands-on procurement experience with a strong focus on complex IT sourcing RFP management and technology contract negotiation
• Demonstrated track record managing large-scale IT RFPs (enterprise software SaaS cloud managed services cybersecurity)
• Experience managing IT procurement portfolios of $20MM annually
• Proven ability to operate independently in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and tactfully across diverse organizational domains and stakeholder levels with a track record of successfully navigating competing priorities and building cross-functional alignment
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence without authority foster collaboration and maintain positive relationships even in high-pressure or contested situations
• Technical Knowledge
• Deep understanding of IT commercial and licensing models: SaaS perpetual subscription consumption-based and hybrid
• Familiarity with IT contract constructs including software license agreements cloud service agreements (AWS Azure GCP) professional services agreements and managed services contracts
• Working knowledge of data security privacy and compliance requirements as they apply to IT vendor contracts (SOC 2 ISO 27001 HIPAA etc.)
• Proficiency in ERP procurement systems and contract management platforms
• Expert-level skills in Microsoft Excel and related spreadsheet tools for cost modeling and analysis
• Understanding of NERC CIP-013 and CIP-004 requirements are preferred

Education:

• Bachelor s degree in business administration Supply Chain/Purchasing Management Information Technology or a related field (Required)
• A combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge to a major in such fields is acceptable

Certifications:

• CPSM Certified Professional in Supply Management (Preferred)
• CTPE Certified Technology Procurement Executive (Preferred)
• Relevant IT vendor certifications (e.g. AWS Microsoft Salesforce commercial training) (Preferred)