Software category manager
Since our founding, IDEMIA has been on a mission to unlock the world and make it safer through our cutting-edge identity technologies. Our technology leadership makes us the partner of choice for hundreds of governments and thousands of enterprises in over 180 countries, including some of the biggest and most influential brands in the world. In applying our unique expertise in biometrics and cryptography, we enable our clients to unlock simpler and safer ways to pay, connect, access, identify, travel and protect public places – at scale and in total security.
Our teams work from 5 continents and speak 100+ different languages. We strongly believe that our diversity is a key driver of innovation and performance.
Purpose
Location: Courbevoie – La Défense (92), France
Contract type: Permanent contract – Full-time
Your role as Software Category Manager:
You will join the Global IT Purchasing team, an international team working with stakeholders and suppliers across different countries.
You will be responsible for the strategic procurement of software, hardware, and cloud solutions, playing a key role in purchasing strategy, contract negotiations, supplier performance management, and cost optimization.
Key Missions
- Lead strategic sourcing initiatives, including RFIs, RFPs, competitive bidding processes, market intelligence, and supplier assessments.
- Negotiate and manage complex commercial agreements, including master agreements, amendments, SOWs, cloud contracts, software licensing agreements, and project-specific engagements.
- Develop and execute category strategies in alignment with IT leadership, business stakeholders, product management teams, and global purchasing counterparts.
- Drive supplier performance, innovation, risk mitigation, and cost optimization initiatives across the IT supplier ecosystem. Provide standardized process and documentation for all sourcing engagements.
- Provide expert guidance on contractual obligations, commercial risks, and negotiation strategies while serving as the primary interface with Legal.
- Conduct market analysis, supplier benchmarking, total cost of ownership (TCO) assessments, and supplier risk evaluations to support sourcing decisions.
- Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and act as a trusted business advisor for procurement and contract management matters.
- Establish and drive supplier governance models, performance metrics, and continuous improvement initiatives to maximize supplier value and service quality.
- Lead cost reduction and value creation programs, define procurement KPIs, and monitor savings delivery against business objectives.
- Support procurement transformation initiatives, process harmonization, and best-practice deployment across IPS and business lines.
- Develop, implement, and manage cost savings projects and related KPIs.
Profile & Other Information
Education:
- Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, IT, or a related field.
Skills & Experience:
- 8 to 10 years of experience, including proven experience in IT procurement, particularly across software, hardware, and Cloud categories.
- Previous experience in a technical or IT environment, followed by a transition into procurement, is a strong asset.
- Ability to understand technical challenges and interact effectively with IT teams, suppliers, and various stakeholders.
- Experience in commercial and contractual negotiations, procurement strategy development, and supplier management.
- Ability to operate effectively in a complex and international environment.
- Good command of office tools and e-sourcing tools.
Soft Skills:
- Strong communication and negotiation skills.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Results-oriented with strong business acumen.
- Ability to manage multiple topics and priorities simultaneously.
- Autonomous, rigorous, and comfortable working within an international and multicultural team.
- Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
By choosing to work at IDEMIA, you will join a unique tech company, offering a wide range of growth opportunities. You will contribute to a safer world, collaborating with an international and global community. We value the diversity of our teams and welcome people from all walks of life, regardless of how they look, where they come from, who they love, or what they think.
We deliver cutting edge, future proof innovation that reach the highest technological standards and we’re transforming, fast, to stay a leader in a world that’s changing fast, too.
At IDEMIA, people can develop their expertise and feel a sense of ownership and empowerment, in a global environment, as part of a company with the ambition and the ability to change the world.
Visit our website to know more about the leader in Identity Technologies