Procurement Category Specialist

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, we’re looking for a Procurement Category Analyst/Specialist who brings analytical thinking together with strong stakeholder engagement. This is a role where you’ll not only work with data—you’ll help shape category strategies, support sourcing decisions, and play a key part in how we manage and optimise our vendor partnerships.

What You’ll 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 We’re 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

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About CFA Institute

CFA Institute are the global leader in investment excellence and ethics. With nearly 200,000 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 [email protected] 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.

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