Sourcing and Procurement Information Technology Category Lead Consultant

At Allstate, great things happen when our people work together to protect families and their belongings from life’s uncertainties. And for more than 90 years our innovative drive has kept us a step ahead of our customers’ evolving needs. From advocating for seat belts, air bags and graduated driving laws, to being an industry leader in pricing sophistication, telematics, and, more recently, device and identity protection. 

Job Description

The Sourcing and Procurement Information Technology Category Lead Consultant plays a key role helping Allstate make commercial decisions in how to optimally spend resources effectively and improve internal stakeholder experience when sourcing and contracting Goods and Services.

You will be challenged to solve business problems and, working collaboratively, with business partners on complex procurement projects to add value. Candidates must be confident in their ability to challenge existing ways of working and recognize opportunities that create benefit. Partnering with business leaders in the Information Technology (IT) Category. The role requires becoming a subject matter expert by researching, analyzing, and advising providing recommendations to stakeholders on market dynamics and executing development of sourcing strategies.

You will be joining our team of procurement professionals working within an entrepreneurial can-do culture that encourages people to innovate on solutions. We look for energetic and inquisitive candidates with ideas, who can think quickly and build relationships. Knowledge of IT product categories would be a plus.

• Identify and drive opportunities for improvement of total cost of ownership in addressable IT categories

• Develop and propose strong sourcing strategies that maximize value for Allstate  

• Gain stakeholder alignment at appropriate levels and effectively influence buying decisions 

• Gather and analyze internal and external category data to support data-driven decision making 

• Work with internal IT stakeholders to incorporate company strategy and requirements in support of developing strong sourcing strategies and recommendations      

• Provide strategic expertise for optimal outcomes with context of Allstate market position and stakeholder requirements 

• Devise negotiation strategies and lead negotiation process with stakeholders and suppliers 

• Translate market research, competitive information, and experience to develop high-quality procurement solutions and value 

• Ensure effective supplier and stakeholder management throughout the procurement project lifecycle 

• Provide commercial guidance on contract terms and conditions with suppliers 

• Collaborate with stakeholders to develop contract metrics (e.g., KPIs, SLAs) to monitor supplier performance and ensure realized value and category performance 

• Build strategic relationships with IT internal business Stakeholders

• Firm grasp of contracting and the legal environment  
  
  Supervisory Responsibilities: 

• This job does not have supervisory duties 
  
  Preferred Qualifications: 

• Education and Experience

• Two or more years of related experience  

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience 

• Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Preferred but not required: CPSM, Six Sigma, CPCU, CIPS 

• Functional Skills

• Knowledge of procurement and the strategic sourcing methodology 

• Solid business acumen understanding value drivers for Allstate and stakeholders 

• Ability to transform data into insights with the goal of creating a compelling story  

• Creative problem solving  

• Experience with proactively formulating strategies to achieve project objectives 

• Comfortable working within a fast-paced and agile environment 

• Collaborative, strategic thinker with experience with gaining alignment of complex ideas  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

• Proficient organization, time management and project management skills management and customer service excellence mindsets 

• Analytical capabilities including cost modeling 

• Expert negotiator with exceptional influencing skills 

• Advanced MS Excel, PowerPoint presentation, and