Skip to main content

Category Management Specialist IV

Primary Location Pleasanton, California Worker Location Remote Job Number 1339994 Date posted 03/06/2025
Submit Interest

Navigating the Hiring Process

We're here to support you!

Having trouble with your account or have questions on the hiring process?

Please visit the FAQ page on our website for assistance.

Need help with your computer and browser settings?

Please visit the Technical Information page for assistance or reach out to the web manager at kp-hires@kp.org.

Do you need a reasonable accommodation due to a disability?

A reasonable accommodation is any modification or adjustment that enables you to fully participate in completing the following:

  • Online Submissions
  • Pre-Hire Assessments
  • Interview Process

Please submit your accommodation request and an HR Representative will contact you.

Description:
Job Summary:

This senior individual contributor position is responsible for developing category/spend strategies for key categories by leveraging extensive knowledge of the markets, suppliers and stakeholder needs; building long-term relationships with key internal clients and suppliers; owning end-to-end delivery of business needs for categories under management; identifying and understanding key initiatives of internal clients and short, medium, and long-term goals; ensuring alignment of initiatives and strategies with client expectations; adopting change practices with customers, suppliers and stakeholders to drive strategic programs; and interacting with leadership to review and drive decisions.
This position is also responsible for leading the RFP process and/or supplier negotiations; developing and executing RFPs; leveraging analytics and insights to ensure data-driven decisions; analyzing category spend to understand price drivers and trends; applying cost and supply market analytics; and applying a digital mindset to adopt new technologies in the source to pay space.

Essential Responsibilities:


  • Promotes learning in others by proactively providing and/or developing information, resources, advice, and expertise with coworkers and members; builds relationships with cross-functional/external stakeholders and customers. Listens to, seeks, and addresses performance feedback; proactively provides actionable feedback to others and to managers. Pursues self-development; creates and executes plans to capitalize on strengths and develop weaknesses; leads by influencing others through technical explanations and examples and provides options and recommendations. Adopts new responsibilities; adapts to and learns from change, challenges, and feedback; demonstrates flexibility in approaches to work; champions change and helps others adapt to new tasks and processes. Facilitates team collaboration to support a business outcome.

  • Completes work assignments autonomously and supports business-specific projects by applying expertise in subject area and business knowledge to generate creative solutions; encourages team members to adapt to and follow all procedures and policies. Collaborates cross-functionally and/or externally to achieve effective business decisions; provides recommendations and solves complex problems; escalates high-priority issues or risks, as appropriate; monitors progress and results. Supports the development of work plans to meet business priorities and deadlines; identifies resources to accomplish priorities and deadlines. Identifies, speaks up, and capitalizes on improvement opportunities across teams; uses influence to guide others and engages stakeholders to achieve appropriate solutions.

  • Develops category/spend strategies for key categories by leveraging extensive knowledge of the markets, suppliers and stakeholder needs; driving clear, informed decisions based upon a multi-year strategy; owning end-to-end delivery of business needs for categories under management; keeping current on external and internal influences that may impact the larger organization (e.g., Healthcare Reform, macroeconomic issues, etc.); and interacting with leadership to review and drive decisions.

  • Develops and maintains relationships with key internal clients and suppliers by building strong, collaborative relationships with internal clients across the business to gain buy-in and deliver value; identifying and understanding key initiatives of internal clients and short, medium, and long-term goals; working with suppliers to identify and pursue opportunities to drive improved quality and delivery performance; assuring alignment of initiatives and strategies with client expectations to drive value, innovation, service/supply resiliency, quality of care and governance; and partnering with cross-functional stakeholders (e.g., Portfolio Leads, Sourcing, Procurement Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, etc.) to advance Category Management capabilities.

  • Leads RFP process and/or supplier negotiations and facilitates contracting to deliver strategic value by leveraging appropriate negotiation strategies, tactics, and processes in line with situational demands; leading contract negotiations in partnership with Legal; and developing and executing RFPs to drive the strategic sourcing process.

  • Leverages analytics and insights to ensure data-driven decisions by analyzing category spend to understand price drivers and trends; applying cost and supply market analytics to create category strategies; and applying a digital mindset to adopt new technologies in the source to pay space.

  • Adopts change practices with customers, suppliers and stakeholders to drive the implementation and/or modification of new or existing strategic programs (e.g., Source to Pay transformation, Category Management training programs, etc.).

  • Contributes to KPs Sustainability and Environmental goals and serves as an advocate to further advance results in Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP).
Minimum Qualifications:


  • Bachelors degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Management Science, Business, Finance, Accounting, Contract Administration, Procurement or a directly related field and minimum three (3) years experience in category management, strategic sourcing, or a directly related field. Additional equivalent work experience in a directly related field may be substituted for the degree requirement. Advanced degrees may be substituted for the work experience requirements.


Additional Requirements:

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Master's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Management Science, Business, Finance, Accounting, Contract Administration, Procurement or a directly related field.
  • Doctorate degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Management Science, Business, Finance, Accounting, Contract Administration, Procurement or a directly related field.
Primary Location: California,Pleasanton,Pleasanton Tech Cntr Building A Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 Shift: Day Workdays: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri Working Hours Start: 08:00 AM Working Hours End: 05:00 PM Job Schedule: Full-time Job Type: Standard Worker Location: Remote Employee Status: Regular Employee Group/Union Affiliation: NUE-IT-01|NUE|Non Union Employee Job Level: Individual Contributor Specialty: Category Management Department: KPIT ADMIN - KPD STRATEGIC TECH - 9601 Pay Range: $143400 - $185570 / year Kaiser Permanente strives to offer a market competitive total rewards package and is committed to pay equity and transparency. The posted pay range is based on possible base salaries for the role and does not reflect the full value of our total rewards package. Actual base pay determined at offer will be based on labor market data and a candidate's years of relevant work experience, education, certifications, skills, and geographic location. Travel: No Remote: Work location is the remote workplace (from home) within KP authorized states. Worker location must align with Kaiser Permanente's Authorized States policy. At Kaiser Permanente, equity, inclusion and diversity are inextricably linked to our mission, and we aim to make it a part of everything we do. We know that having a diverse and inclusive workforce makes Kaiser Permanente a better place to receive health care, a more supportive partner in our communities we serve, and a more fulfilling place to work. Working at Kaiser Permanente means that you agree to and abide by our commitment to equity and our expectation that we all work together to create an inclusive work environment focused on a sense of belonging and wellbeing.

Kaiser Permanente is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, parental status, ancestry, disability, gender identity, veteran status, genetic information, other distinguishing characteristics of diversity and inclusion, or any other protected status. Submit Interest