The University of Virginia Office of the Vice President for Finance seeks applications for a Sourcing Category Manager. Reporting to the Sourcing Director, this role is part of the University’s Procurement Services team, which supports strategic sourcing and procurement across three primary spend areas: IT and Scientific Discovery; Services and Athletics; and Facilities Management.

The Sourcing Category Manager provides strategic sourcing leadership and advisory support to university stakeholders, ensuring best value, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and supplier performance. The position leads complex sourcing initiatives, develops category strategies, and partners closely with academic, administrative, and athletics stakeholders to support the University’s mission.

This role also provides day‑to‑day leadership for a small team of Sourcing Specialists. Work is performed with a high degree of independence, with goals and priorities established collaboratively with the Sourcing Director.

Key Responsibilities

Sourcing Administration

• Advise faculty and staff on University and Commonwealth of Virginia procurement policies, procedures, and best practices.

• Lead complex sourcing initiatives, including Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Quotes (RFQs), Statements of Work (SOWs), and sole source justifications.

• Collaborate with Contracts and Legal teams to establish agreements that protect the University’s interests.

• Partner with peer institutions to leverage existing cooperative contracts or develop new cooperative agreements.

• Develop business cases that support strategic sourcing decisions, including cost, risk, and value analyses.

• Identify opportunities to streamline procurement processes, reduce costs, and improve service delivery across the University.

Business Intelligence and Reporting

• Analyze University spend and sourcing data to evaluate category performance and identify strategic opportunities.

• Develop and track savings, cost avoidance, and other key performance indicators.

• Prepare and present data‑driven sourcing strategies and recommendations to university leadership and stakeholders.

• Leverage industry benchmarks and best practices to define supplier service expectations and performance standards.

Stakeholder and Supplier Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with university departments, suppliers, peer institutions, and state agencies.

• Proactively engage stakeholders to anticipate needs, resolve issues, and deliver effective sourcing solutions.

• Promote competitive procurement practices and supplier diversity, with a particular focus on small, local, and diverse businesses.

• Facilitate supplier business reviews and continuous improvement discussions.

Leadership and Special Projects

• Provide functional leadership and guidance to Sourcing Specialists.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives across Procurement Services.

• Perform special projects and other duties assigned by the Sourcing Director.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

• Minimum of four years of relevant experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, supply chain, contracting, or category management.

• Demonstrated experience supporting the full procurement lifecycle.

• Strong knowledge of RFPs, RFQs, SOWs, sole source procurements, and competitive sourcing processes.

• Proven ability to achieve cost savings, streamline sourcing processes, and promote competition.

• Strong analytical, critical‑thinking, and problem‑solving skills.

• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.

• Ability to build relationships, influence stakeholders, and manage change.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a higher education or public‑sector procurement environment.

• Knowledge of Virginia state procurement laws and regulations.

• Experience across multiple service or commodity categories.

• Negotiation experience.

• Familiarity with Salesforce, Workday, and procure‑to‑pay systems.

Additional Information

This position requires the ability to work onsite in Charlottesville, Virginia, approximately two to three days per week.

This position will remain open until filled. This is an exempt level, benefited position. The University will perform background checks on all hires (if required) prior to employment. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States. For this role, the University will not sponsor or consider candidates requiring sponsorship for employment visas now or in the future. For questions about the application process, please contact Daniel Strong, Senior Recruiter at das6zb@virginia.edu.

Anticipated hiring range of $95,000 - $110,000 per year based on experience and education/certifications.

Please apply through the University job board, Careers at UVA, and search for R0079908.

​Internal applicants may search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Bachelor's degree required.

Experience: 4+ years of relevant professional experience required. Additional relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

Licensure: Project Management Professional (PMP/PMI) certification preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Click here to read more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.