Life Sciences Category Manager

Position overview

Our client seeks an experienced professional who can quickly assume responsibility for scientific and research supplier programs. The role develops organization-wide category strategies and supplier master agreements, builds support across procurement teams at client locations and research stakeholders, and drives contract adoption and measurable savings across client locations.

The team supports a broad research portfolio spanning life sciences, physical sciences, laboratory and research programs, and research-funded clinical trials.

This is a strategic category management and implementation role. Procurement teams at client locations handle purchase orders and routine purchasing. A separate sourcing team administers formal RFPs, with this role providing category direction, stakeholder alignment, oversight, and award input.

Category responsibilities

Initial assignments are expected to focus on categories currently covered by the director: medical and clinical supplies; general laboratory supplies and equipment; major laboratory distributors; chemicals; selected reagents; and gases. Assignments can be adjusted to align with the successful candidate’s expertise and the team's needs.

The broader portfolio also includes capital equipment and maintenance, sequencing and genomics, animal research, pharmaceuticals, and medical and scientific devices. Another category manager currently covers much of the capital equipment, maintenance, and sequencing work. Experience sourcing across all product categories is not required.

What you will do

·        Analyze spending patterns, supplier markets, and existing agreements to identify opportunities; develop category strategies, business cases, and a prioritized project pipeline.

·        Build support for proposed initiatives across central procurement and procurement teams at client locations. Engage relevant research stakeholders, gather requirements, address objections, and secure participation in a decentralized environment.

·        Develop and negotiate organization-wide supplier master agreements with scientific suppliers, major distributors, and group purchasing organizations as applicable. Evaluate pricing, rebates, service commitments, and other commercial terms.

·        Coordinate contract review with appropriate internal partners to align agreements with client policies, stakeholder requirements, sustainability objectives, and applicable requirements.

·        Define project scope and prepare the category and stakeholder groundwork for competitive sourcing. Partner with the sourcing team that runs formal RFPs, provide oversight, and participate in evaluation and award decisions.

·        Implement awarded agreements across client locations. Explain program benefits, promote adoption, resolve implementation barriers, and ensure negotiated value produces realized savings.

·        Manage supplier relationships and monitor contract utilization, pricing, performance, stakeholder satisfaction, and savings. Address service issues and adjust strategies as needs change.

Required qualifications

·        At least eight years of relevant experience.

·        A science background or substantial experience in a scientific industry, with working knowledge of laboratory or research suppliers, distribution models, products, and services.

·        Demonstrated experience negotiating agreements with scientific, laboratory, biotech, pharmaceutical, or related suppliers, and translating commercial terms into practical business value.

·        The ability to assume category responsibilities with limited training. Established procurement and category management experience is the primary target for this role; candidates with primarily scientific sales experience will also be considered.

·        Experience gaining cooperation across multiple sites, business units, or stakeholder groups without direct authority. Ability to build credibility, present a persuasive business case, and secure consensus.

·        Persistence, flexibility, and sound judgment when navigating multiple approval layers, competing priorities, and lengthy decision cycles. Ability to progress work independently within a collaborative governance structure.

·        Strong spend analysis, financial evaluation, and spreadsheet skills, including the ability to assess pricing, quantify opportunities, and track results.

·        Clear written and verbal communication, negotiation, meeting facilitation, and project management skills; ability to work effectively with virtual teams and external suppliers.

·        Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Preferred experience

·        Category management or procurement in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, scientific distribution, research institutions, or other organizations purchasing laboratory products and services.

·        Enterprise or multisite agreements, major distributor programs, group purchasing organizations, and implementation across decentralized organizations.

·        Experience with complex, highly decentralized organizations. 

·        CPM or CPSM certification.