Category Manager, Clinical Contracts

About the role

The Category Manager (Clinical Contract Steward) is an experienced sourcing and contracting professional responsible for owning the post‑award lifecycle of clinical sourcing contracts and ensuring that negotiated value is fully realized, governed, and sustained. This role bridges strategic sourcing execution and operational contract management, serving as the primary steward for clinical supplier agreements once sourcing events conclude. The Contract Steward partners closely with Strategic Sourcing leadership, Category Managers, Finance, Legal, and health system stakeholders to ensure pricing integrity, contract compliance, savings validation, and issue resolution across clinical product categories. Unlike analyst roles, the Manager operates with independent judgment, owns defined categories or supplier portfolios, and acts as the system of record for contract intent, obligations, and financial outcomes. Core Responsibilities Clinical Sourcing Analytics & Opportunity Support Perform clinical spend analysis to identify sourcing, standardization, and cost reduction opportunities across assigned product categories. Prepare detailed pricing comparisons, utilization analyses, and supplier benchmarking to support category strategies. Support baseline development and savings calculations for sourcing initiatives in accordance with value capture standards. Analyze distributor, manufacturer, and GPO data to identify pricing variability, contract compliance gaps, and leverage opportunities. Sourcing Event Execution & Negotiation Support Support clinical sourcing events, including RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs, by preparing bid structures, supplier lists, evaluation scorecards, and analysis templates. Evaluate supplier responses for pricing, service levels, clinical equivalency, and contractual terms. Assist Category Managers in developing negotiation scenarios, cost models, and trade off analyses. Document sourcing recommendations and prepare materials used for stakeholder and clinical review discussions. Supplier & Contract Support Support supplier evaluations, including product conversions, supplier performance reviews, and risk assessments. Assist with contract documentation, pricing validation, and alignment to sourcing awards. Partner with contract stewards and legal teams to ensure sourcing outcomes align with approved terms and governance standards. Maintain sourcing documentation, audit trails, and supporting analyses. Tools, Systems & Process Discipline Utilize sourcing and procurement systems (e.g., Coupa, SAP, or similar platforms) to manage sourcing events, catalogs, and pricing data. Maintain data accuracy a