• Develop and implement an overall sourcing strategy for assigned products/services focused on leveraging volume, knowledge and capability to achieve cost reduction, supplier consolidation, lead-time reduction, and supplier quality improvement. • Guide the selection, development, and management of strategic suppliers to meet product/service cost and performance goals. • Partners with suppliers to build capabilities to meet expanding needs of the business. • Develop implementation plan and set up infrastructure and process for smooth transition of new suppliers. • Apply tools, techniques and processes to manage supplier relationships. • Collaboratively develop and use supplier scorecards to identify areas requiring improvements or corrective action. • Support business units in the areas of resolving quality issues, assisting in supplier delivery problems, and ensuring that supplies meet all program schedules as a result of source selection. • Solicit material quotations and lead negotiation on agreements, contracts, and blanket orders with strategic suppliers to achieve quality, price, and service objectives. • Plan and execute a successful negotiation strategy. • Perform cost/price analysis across the supply chain with a cost model of key strategic sources. • Respond to questions from vendors and internal business units related to the request for information and/or proposal, and requisition process. • Maintain current knowledge of market conditions that affect overall cost, lead time, and availability of products. • Manage increases and decreases effectively – implement and renegotiate contracts where necessary. • Ensure the standard process for request for information, requests for proposals, and contract documentation are being followed by the business units. • Applies change management tools and best practices to ensure the realization of business benefits for key initiatives. • Build and develop relationships with multiple business units and ensure the procurement strategies support the overall company strategies. • Present and communicate procurement data to all levels of management. • Manage and direct workload of other resources. • Perform other duties as requested.

• Manage and track annual DC & HW CapEx expenditure across assigned categories • Ensure purchase orders, contracts, and invoices align with approved budgets • Support forecasting, accruals, and variance analysis in coordination with finance • Manage operational relationships with OEMs, vendors, and logistics partners • Administer supplier agreements, SLAs, and commercial terms • Coordinate lead times, delivery schedules, and cross-border logistics where required • Lead or support negotiations for major procurement packages • Execute pricing, commercial terms, and volume-based agreements • Ensure negotiated savings are fully captured, tracked, and reported • Deliver contribution toward annual cost optimization targets • Identify savings opportunities through: Supplier consolidation, Specification optimization, Commercial term improvements • Monitor supplier performance and cost drivers continuously.

Job Description The Manager, IT Category Management, is responsible for directing all sourcing and vendor contracting activities within the assigned categories. This role supervises staff engaged in the sourcing process for high-value and complex goods, services, or projects and initiatives. The incumbent focuses on reducing organizational costs by implementing effective sourcing strategies, tools, and processes. Coordination with third-party vendors, business owners, and the legal team is essential for the preparation, analysis, and negotiation of vendor contracts. Additionally, this position supports business owners across all functional areas in technology vendor selection and ensures that vendor obligations are documented in alignment with business requirements. What You’ll Do - Manage staff responsible for the development and execution of sourcing strategies in one or more technology categories. - Direct and train staff in conducting sourcing events, including development of project work plan, category profile, category strategy, minimum requirements and evaluation criteria, solicitation - Guide staff in the development and implementation assorted bid documents and requests (i.e. RFP, RFI, RFQ); and manage status reporting and performance metrics of sourcing and category management activities. - Understand, analyze and forecast complex market and industry dynamics and share subject matter expertise and industry knowledge within the established portfolio of products and services - Partner with stakeholders to develop business and sourcing strategy and source products and services using proven tools, processes, and analytics to drive and achieve business results. - Coordinate the evaluation and analyses of sourcing results from a total cost of ownership perspective, and provide optimization recommendations - Lead cross-functional teams responsible for complex vendor negotiations, including those that require specialized subject matter expertise, nonstandard risk mitigation solutions, and coordination of multiple arrangements. - Proactively establish and foster successful, positive working relationships with vendor personnel. Drive vendor engagement through formal and informal transactions. - Manage contract management function and facilitate effective collaboration with Corporate Compliance, Legal, Audit and Risk Management and other internal stakeholders for compliance activities to ensure regulatory conditions are met. - Develop new procedures, training, initiatives, specifications and recommendations for process or policy changes and improvements, as appropriate. What You Bring - Bachelor's degree or advanced degree (where required) - 8+ years of experience in related field. - In lieu of degree, 10+ years of experience in related field. Bonus Points - 8+ years Technology procurement experience Highly Preferred - Procurement experience at a healthcare company Highly Preferred - Procurement experience with key vendors including IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Cognizant, Accenture, NTT Data and HCL Technologies - Experience purchasing hardware and software through Value Added Resellers What You’ll Get - The opportunity to work at the cutting edge of health care delivery with a team that’s deeply invested in the community. - Work-life balance, flexibility, and the autonomy to do great work. - Medical, dental, and vision coverage along with numerous health and wellness programs. - Parental leave and support plus adoption and surrogacy assistance. - Career development programs and tuition reimbursement for continued education. - 401k match including an annual company contribution  Salary Range At Blue Cross NC, we take great pride in a fair and equitable compensation package that reflects market-price and our starting salaries are typically planned near the middle of the range listed. Compensation decisions are driven by factors including experience and training, specialized skill sets, licensure and certifications and other business and organizational needs. Our base salary is part of a robust Total Rewards package that includes an Annual Incentive Bonus*, 401(k) with employer match, Paid Time Off (PTO), and competitive health benefits and wellness programs. *Based on annual corporate goal achievement and individual performance. $107,901.00 - $172,642.00 Skills IT Procurement, Negotiation, Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Procurement_____________________________________________________________________ JOB ALERT FRAUD: We have become aware of scams from individuals, organizations, and internet sites claiming to represent Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina in recruitment activities in return for disclosing financial information. Our hiring process does not include text-based conversations or interviews and never requires payment or fees from job applicants. All our career opportunities are published on https://bcbsnc.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/BCBSNC. If you have already provided your personal information that you suspect is fraudulent activity, please report it to your local authorities. Any fraudulent activity should be reported to: HR.Staffing@BCBSNC.com.

Department: 14207 Enterprise Corporate - People & Culture Talent Acquisition Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hours Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: This is a remote role. Advocate Health may approve those who wish to work out of the following registered states: AL, AK, AR, AZ, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IN, IL, LA, KS, KY, ME, MI, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WV, WY. Pay Range $44.15 - $66.25 Develops and implements advanced proactive, innovative and dynamic sourcing strategy for forecasted and un-forecasted staffing demands. Creatively sources, assesses and selects qualified applicants to be referred as candidates for open positions. Researches, networks, builds relationships and cultivates short term and long-term talent pipeline for hard-to-fill positions. Supports building of strong employer brand to attract and recruit diverse top talent and be responsible for creating an exceptional candidate experience. Anticipates industry trends, seeks out and utilizes labor market information to ensure best-in-class candidate sourcing. Major Responsibilities: - Develops and executes proactive, innovative and cost-effective recruitment/sourcing strategy to target diverse pool of qualified applicants for vacancies. Develops deep expertise in sourcing for hard-to-fill positions within assigned area. Develops plan to find candidates for specific roles. Conducts research to create pipelines for candidates. - Performs advanced sourcing including social media, internet and data base mining, and development of relationships with professional organizations, colleges and schools and community agencies to identify and recruit a diverse slate of candidates for open positions. Ensures communications align with the organization's culture and strategic plans. Promotes the Organization’s mission, brand and strategies and translates jobs into career opportunities to attract top talent into the organization. - Conducts positive and enthusiastic cold calls to passive candidates to present opportunities for hard-to-fill positions. Builds relationships with passive candidates that results in candidates wanting to work for Advocate Aurora Health and choosing to stay in contact with the sourcing specialist. Develops and maintains network and database of potential candidates for future reference including pipeline of passive candidates. - Screens applications, selects appropriate candidates for interviews using phone, audio, and video resources where applicable. Performs structured screening and assessment to ensure applicants meet both job, organization requirements, and fit for role. Makes recommendations to the Recruiter and Hiring Manager on the referral of qualified candidates. - Develops relationships with hiring managers and HR partners. Consults with hiring leadership to anticipate, develop and provide solutions for short-term and long term hiring needs and business goals which include the following: identifying hiring needs, interviewing candidates, recommending qualified candidates, and engaging unique candidates. Maintains sourcing models that meet clients’ needs and serves as best practice guides for quality and expedient, effective hiring solutions including continued engagement of candidates with successful hiring metrics. - Acts as key resource for referred candidates in identifying best fits, providing recommendations of the best way to engage in our recruitment process and following up with the referring party. Works closely with Recruiter to understand staffing needs and develop proactive, innovative sourcing/recruitment strategy to attract and recruit top talent. - Maintains and reports recruitment metrics for assigned departments/key jobs on regular basis. Collaborates with hiring manager, and recruitment to address trends. Participates in media planning to determine spend to drive candidate volume for hard-to-fill positions. Performs social media campaigning to proactively engage candidates through innovative and diverse methods. Leverages a variety of recruiting resources, social media and internet space to find top talent such as search engine optimization, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. - Proactively diagnoses recruiting and sourcing issues that impact the Organization's ability to attract and retain qualified, diverse candidates/employees. Develops, recommends and implements solutions for enhancements. Ensures recruitment and sourcing strategies meet clients’ needs and serves as best practice guides for quality, expedient and effective hiring. - Works with the talent acquisition team to assess recruitment and sourcing success by tracking trends, statistics, and averages and presents findings to hiring leaders, at operational management meetings and to HR partners. Identifies key gaps, assesses needs, presents effective solutions and proactively implements strategies to react to employment market trends. - Actively leads special sourcing projects, campaigns, initiatives and work teams and partners with other talent acquisition staff on recruitment strategies for pivotal positions. Proactively identifies and drives process improvements initiatives and shares success with other team members to help drive consistency, build efficiencies and coach/mentor others. Serves as a resource and mentor to colleagues and Sourcing Specialists for complex recruitment scenarios, solutions, and proactive recruiting tools. Reinforces critical thinking skills of less experienced team members. Functions independently with limited direction from leadership. Attends webinars/seminars as available and delivers educational opportunities to the team. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: - None Required. Education Required: - Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources or related field. Experience Required: - Typically requires 5 years of experience in human resources that includes experiences in proactively sourcing/recruiting for complex, difficult to fill positions in a fast paced, high volume environment. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: - Advanced skills in developing and implementing creative, efficient, proactive recruiting and sourcing plans to engage both passive and active candidates and anticipate issues with a solution-oriented approach. Proven success in generating a high quality pipeline of candidates under tight timelines to fill key roles. Experience in consulting with hiring leadership to determine business and hiring needs. - Knowledge of recruiting, screening, interviewing, and developing recruitment strategies. - Advanced knowledge and skills in social media platforms, internet and search engine optimization and complex Boolean searches. Skills in effectively leveraging networks and affiliations to build networks. - General knowledge of compensation, benefits, general human resources functions, and state and federal labor laws and regulations that impact human resources/employment. - Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and a high degree of professionalism. Demonstrated organizational and time management skills. - Proficiency in Microsoft Office suites. Strong technology aptitude to use a variety of methods to engage candidates. - Ability to work within a fast-paced, team-focused environment, meet multiple deadlines and identify/solve problems creatively. Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: - Must be able to sit, stand, walk, bend, and lift frequently throughout the workday. - Must be able to occasionally lift up to 35 lbs. - Must have functional speech and hearing. - Position requires extensive telephone work. - Position may require evening or weekend assignments. - This position may require local and regional travel and thus there is exposure to road and weather hazards. - Generally exposed to a normal office environment. - Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. #LI-Remote This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation - Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training - Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job - Incentive pay for select positions - Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more - Paid Time Off programs - Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability - Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses - Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave - Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs - Educational Assistance Program About Advocate Health Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.