Job Description
Are you an experienced Technology Procurement or IS&T Category Specialist looking for the opportunity to build something rather than simply maintain it? Do you enjoy challenging the status quo, shaping technology strategy and influencing major software investment decisions? Are you looking for a role where you'll work alongside senior technology leadership to help create the future technology landscape of a newly standalone global business?
If so, this could be an exceptional opportunity.
RPS Recruitment has been retained by a globally recognised industrial organisation to appoint an IS&T Category Specialist supporting one of the largest technology transformation programmes within the business. As the organisation transitions into a standalone company, this individual will play a key role in reviewing, shaping and delivering the future enterprise technology ecosystem.
This is not a traditional procurement position focused on running sourcing exercises or renewing software contracts. Instead, you'll become the commercial partner to the IS&T leadership team, helping evaluate technology solutions, challenge existing platforms, select future software vendors and ensure the organisation adopts the right technologies for long-term success.
Key Responsibilities for the IS&T Category Specialist:
- Partner with senior IS&T leadership to shape the future technology roadmap across the organisation.
- Review the existing software landscape and identify opportunities to optimise, consolidate or replace enterprise applications.
- Evaluate new software and SaaS solutions alongside technical stakeholders to determine the best fit for the business.
- Lead commercial negotiations with software vendors, including enterprise licensing, pricing models and contractual terms.
- Review and negotiate technology agreements, including SLAs, DPAs, EULAs, software licensing and commercial risk.
- Assess AI-enabled technologies, ensuring appropriate governance around data privacy, intellectual property, security and enterprise risk.
- Support software implementation and vendor transition programmes as the organisation evolves from legacy systems into a future-state technology environment.
- Develop strong strategic relationships with technology suppliers whilst holding vendors accountable for performance and service delivery.
- Work closely with Legal, Finance, Information Security and business stakeholders to support technology investment decisions.
The Ideal IS&T Category Specialist:
You'll already have experience operating within technology procurement, software category management or enterprise technology sourcing and enjoy working in environments where you can influence strategic decisions rather than simply execute procurement processes.
You'll ideally bring:
- Experience managing enterprise software, SaaS and technology categories.
- Strong understanding of software licensing models, cloud technologies and commercial technology agreements.
- Experience supporting software implementation, vendor change or digital transformation programmes.
- The confidence to challenge existing technology decisions and recommend better solutions.
- Commercially strong with the ability to balance technical requirements against business outcomes.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work alongside technical and non-technical leaders alike.
- A proactive, entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to thrive within a fast-moving, evolving organisation.
Experience within manufacturing, industrial, engineering, mining, energy or similarly complex operational environments would be advantageous but is by no means essential.
What's on Offer
This is an opportunity to join a business at a pivotal point in its evolution, where you'll have genuine influence over the future technology landscape rather than inheriting an established procurement function. You'll work alongside experienced executive leadership, help shape major technology decisions, and play a central role in building the technology capability of a newly standalone organisation.
The successful IS&T Category Specialist will receive:
- Up to $172,000 base salary.
- 15% annual bonus.
- Hybrid working based around the Los Angeles/Burbank area. Approx, 4-8 days per month onsite depending on business needs/meetings.
- The opportunity to influence enterprise-wide technology strategy from day one.
- Long-term career progression within a growing global organisation.
If you're looking for a role where you can combine commercial expertise with a genuine passion for enterprise technology and transformation, we'd love to hear from you. One working day turnaround on feedback.