Procurement Category Specialist
Charlottesville, VA - USA
Job Summary
Procurement Category Specialist
Are you someone who enjoys turning data into meaningful insights Do you thrive when partnering with stakeholders to influence smarter business decisions Are you curious about how vendor strategy sourcing and contracts come together to drive real impact
If so this could be the opportunity to take your procurement career to the next level.
At CFA Institute were looking for a Procurement Category Analyst/Specialist who brings analytical thinking together with strong stakeholder engagement. This is a role where youll not only work with datayoull help shape category strategies support sourcing decisions and play a key part in how we manage and optimise our vendor partnerships.
What Youll Do
Analyse vendor spend data to identify trends cost drivers and opportunities for optimisation
Partner with Category Managers and business stakeholders to support category planning and sourcing strategies
Contribute to the development of preferred supplier lists (PSLs) and vendor strategies across key categories (e.g. IT Marketing Education)
Support end-to-end procurement and contract lifecycle activities from vendor onboarding through to contract execution and renewal tracking
Build dashboards and reports that translate complex data into clear actionable insights for stakeholders and leadership
Provide analytical support for sourcing events RFP processes and contract negotiations
Monitor vendor performance contract utilisation and compliance against agreed terms
Identify process improvements across the Source-to-Pay (S2P) lifecycle and support continuous improvement initiatives
Respond to stakeholder queries and act as a trusted point of contact for procurement-related insights and data
What Were Looking For
Experience in procurement category management sourcing data analytics or a related field
Strong stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to collaborate and influence across functions
Confidence working with data including interpreting trends and translating findings into business insights
Advanced Excel skills (e.g. pivot tables XLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH data transformation basic modelling)
Experience creating dashboards or reports using tools such as Power BI Tableau or advanced Excel
Strong attention to detail and a structured organised approach to managing tasks and data
Exposure to procurement systems contract lifecycle management (CLM) or ERP platforms (e.g. SAP Coupa Ariba) is beneficial
Understanding of procurement concepts such as total cost of ownership (TCO) vendor performance and contract structures
Project coordination or organisational experience with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively
Why Join Us
Be part of a globally recognised organisation with a strong purpose and impact
Work in a collaborative environment where stakeholder engagement and partnership are central to success
Gain exposure to strategic category management and end-to-end procurement processes
Develop your skills in data analytics sourcing strategy and vendor management
Benefit from mentorship and career development opportunities with clear potential for progression over time
Contribute to building and shaping procurement processes and frameworks in a growing function
#LI-JB1
About CFA Institute
CFA Institute are the global leader in investment excellence and ethics. With nearly 200000 charterholders across 160 markets we drive professional growth ethical behavior and better markets. We care about our employees well-being offering industry-leading benefits like:
Comprehensive health coverage for you and your family
Generous leave and time off
Competitive retirement plans
Flexible work options
Wellness education and support programs
If you feel this opportunity could be the next step in your career we encourage you to click Apply and complete our three-minute application.
Be part of a team committed to putting investors first and growing economies. Follow us @CFAInstitute on LinkedIn and X.
Important Message: Your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirements as CFA Institute cannot make assumptions about your education experience or location. We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. CFA Institute prohibits both discrimination and harassment with regard to all identifying characteristics: any individual employee group of employees or prospective employee on the basis of race color national origin citizenship or immigration status religion creed or belief age marital or partnership status marital or family status care giver status pregnancy and maternity sexual and other reproductive health decisions physical abilities/qualities disability sexual orientation gender gender identity or expression predisposing genetic characteristic military or veteran status status as a victim or witness of domestic violence or sex offense or stalking unemployment status infectious disease carrier status migrant worker status educational background socio-economic status geographic location and culture or any other basis protected by applicable law. This policy impacts all aspects of employment including but not limited to recruitment hiring compensation training development promotion demotion layoff recall furlough transfer leave of absence and dismissal. This is a global policy that applies to all CFA Institute employees regardless of location.
If due to a disability or current medical condition you need an accommodation or assistance to complete a job application you can request one at any stage of the recruitment process. Please send an email to noting the accommodations or assistance you are requesting. Please do not include any medical or health information in this email. We will review your request and contact you to discuss the possible options and arrangements. We will try our best to provide you with an accommodation or assistance that meets your needs and respects your preferences.
Our application is not compatible with Internet Explorer (IE). We recommend using Chrome.
Required Experience:
IC
About Company
We offer the CFA® and CIPM® designations, along with other programs and certificates that support finance professionals at all career stages.