IBM Hiring for Sourcing Consultant–Marketing at Research Triangle Park, NC

Introduction
At IBM, we know that transformation drives change, and it is in our DNA to continuously transform. Our Business Transformation Consultants help drive large scale change that spans IBM business units and geographies. As a part of this team, you will have the unique opportunity to be a part of driving IBM’s ongoing transformation as a company that continuously innovates and leads the market.

Your Role and Responsibilities
In this procurement consulting role, the Sourcing Consultant will execute sourcing events and negotiations while acting as a Category Manager within the Marketing category on behalf of IBM’s external clients. Additionally, the consultant must understand external market and category variables, learn the internal landscape of our clients (requirements, organizational structure, priorities) and successfully develop client / supplier relationships.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Understand business requirements (priorities, challenges and key value drivers) and address the requirements as appropriate via commercial activities.
• Design and secure cross-functional alignment of annual category strategies. Implement category strategies utilizing various commercial levers that deliver improved value, such as lower cost, reduced risk, increased flexibility, and improved business outcomes for IBM clients.
• Lead effective negotiations with sole source providers or as a part of a sourcing event/request for proposal (RFP) process
• Successfully build relationships with client stakeholders by providing compelling category insights & strategies, aligning and delivering results against commercial plans, and providing consistent professional communication and issue resolution.
• Play an active role in supplier / agency relationship management (SRM) through leading or participating in key meetings, documenting mutual feedback and action items, ensuring right stakeholder engagement and through senior interactions with agencies where needed.
• Demonstrate value by becoming a trusted advisor, lead negotiator and SME in the areas of Marketing sourcing and negotiations.
• Recommend diverse, disadvantaged, veteran and small businesses where possible.
• Collect market intelligence and analyze client data, metrics and reports to make recommendations for areas of improvement or to drive increased efficiency / performance.
• Participate in category councils and client business reviews to support collaboration, knowledge sharing, opportunity identification and overall relationship development.
• Ensure seamless handoff to our clients when appropriate.

Core Competencies

• Listening and Organizing
• Clarity of Communication, including to senior managers or leaders
• Problem Identification, Analysis and Solution
• Team Building and Collaboration
• Change Management
• Strategic Sourcing
• Marketing category experience
• Data Analysis
• Ability to work in a fast turnaround / dynamic environment
• Candidate must be detail oriented and a self-starter, with demonstrated record of taking end-to-end ownership, leading through service, solving problems and learning from failures
• Strong communication skills with proven ability to analyze data and present findings in a clear and cohesive manner
• Able to view business operations through the commercial (procurement) lens and translate into value propositions to the stakeholder
• Able to successfully lead projects or initiatives in cross-functional teams
• Effective demonstration of business acumen
• Ability to work independently to identify and research relevant market, industry/peer company, and supplier information
• Capable of navigating through ambiguous situations and managing external vendor relationships
• Ability to develop processes and/or to identify continuous improvements to help better coordinate activities
• Strong relationship building and stakeholder management skills with the ability to form and grow own networks.

Required Technical and Professional Expertise

• 7+ years’ strategic sourcing experience, preferably with 3+ years sourcing marketing and communications.
• 3+ years’ experience sourcing and/or managing at minimum 3 of any of the following marketing sub-categories
• Advertising and Creative (Highly Preferred)
• Creative/Advertising Production (Highly Preferred)
• Customer Engagement(Highly Preferred)
• Digital (Highly Preferred)
• Events & Tradeshows (Highly Preferred)
• Branding
• Design Agencies
• Displays
• Market Research
• Media
• Print & Fulfillment
• Promotional Marketing
• Promotional Items
• Sales Brokerage
• Sponsorships
• Degree in Business, Marketing, Law, Supply Chain Management or another applicable field.
• Candidates must be willing and able to travel to client locations based on business requirements. Peak client travel may be up to 4 days/week and 3-4 weeks per month (e.g., early months with a new client); however, steady state travel is purposeful in nature and often less frequent (e.g., 2 weeks per month in most roles)

Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise

• Prefer previous experience in a client facing / consultative role.
• Prefer previous experience with eSourcing tools (Ariba, Coupa, GEP, etc.)

The IBM Finance organization is responsible for driving enterprise performance and transformation. We are the financial stewards of IBM, delivering IBM’s financial strategy, developing new business models, and mitigating enterprise risk. Do you have a passion for creating business value? Join our team in accounting, financial planning, pricing, business controls, tax, treasury, business development (acquisitions & divestitures), and global financing.

This job requires you to provide your COVID-19 vaccination status with supporting documentation, where legally permissible.

Are you craving to learn more? Prepared to solve some of the world’s most unique challenges? And ready to shape the future for millions of people? If so, then it’s time to join us, express your individuality, unleash your curiosity and discover new possibilities.

Every IBMer, and potential ones like yourself, has a voice, carves their own path, and uses their expertise to help co-create and add to our story. Together, we have the power to make meaningful change – to alter the fabric of our clients, of society and IBM itself, to create a truly positive impact and make the world work better for everyone.

It’s time to define your career.

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 50 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM offers a wide range of resources for eligible IBMers to thrive both inside and outside of work. In addition to a competitive benefits program consisting of medical and life insurance, retirement plans, and time off, eligible employees may also have access to:

• 12 weeks of paid parental bonding leave. Family care options are also available to support eligible employees during COVID-19.
• World-class training and educational resources on our personalized, AI-driven learning platform. IBM’s learning culture supports your restless attitude to grow your skills and build the depth and scale of knowledge needed to achieve your career goals.
• Well-being programs to support mental and physical health.
• Financial programs that empower you to plan, save, and manage your money (including expert financial counseling, 401(k), IBM stock discount, etc.).
• Select educational reimbursement opportunities.
• Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups where you can network and connect with IBMers across the globe.
• Giving and volunteer programs to benefit charitable organizations and local communities.
• Discounts on retail products, services, and experiences.

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.