JobsMotorola Solutions

Procurement Category Manager - Services

Motorola Solutions · Chicago, IL

Posted Jul 17, 2025 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through a services sourcing project you led, from figuring out the category strategy to signing the contract. What was the category and how did you approach it?

whether the candidate has actually run a full sourcing cycle end to end, not just parts of one

Tell me about a time you negotiated a statement of work or performance-based contract with a systems implementation or professional services partner. What made it hard, and how did you get the terms you needed?

real experience writing and negotiating SOWs, not just reviewing them

Give me an example of a cost reduction you drove that wasn't just asking the supplier for a lower price. What lever did you actually pull?

depth of cost reduction toolkit beyond simple price negotiation - value engineering, demand management, alternative sourcing

Tell me about a time sales or engineering pushed back hard on a sourcing decision or a supplier you wanted to use. How did you handle that disagreement?

stakeholder management under real conflict, since pre/post sales and engineering are named as key partners

Tell me about a time you had to manage several sourcing projects at once with competing deadlines. How did you decide what got your attention first?

organizational and prioritization skills given the autonomous, multi-project nature of the role

Technical

How do you go about researching a services market you're not deeply familiar with yet, to figure out who the credible suppliers are and what fair pricing looks like?

practical market analysis method, not just familiarity with the concept

What do you look for in vendor performance management for a services supplier, and what do you do when a supplier is technically meeting the contract but the internal team is still unhappy?

whether they manage suppliers on outcomes and relationships, not just contract compliance checklists

Which ERP and e-sourcing tools have you used day to day, and can you give an example of pulling data out of one of them to make a sourcing decision or build a report?

actual hands-on comfort with SAP, Oracle, or similar systems versus surface familiarity

How do you think about contract law basics when you're drafting terms for a services agreement - what are the clauses you pay closest attention to and why?

working knowledge of contract fundamentals relevant to services, like liability, IP, termination, SLAs

Situational

Say you're sourcing full-lifecycle field services - install, maintain, support - for a large technology deployment. How would you structure the RFP and evaluate bids differently than you would for a straightforward product purchase?

understanding of how services sourcing differs from goods sourcing, especially with ongoing performance risk

You discover that one of your key implementation partners is showing signs of financial distress mid-project. What do you do in the next two weeks?

risk management instincts and whether they escalate appropriately versus panic or ignore it

A project is at risk of slipping because your only qualified implementation partner for a region is overbooked. What are your options and how do you decide between them?

ability to think through single-source dependency risk and generate real alternatives quickly

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The full job description

As published by Motorola Solutions.

Company Overview ​ At Motorola Solutions, we believe that everything starts with our people. We’re a global close-knit community, united by the relentless pursuit to help keep people safer everywhere. Our critical communications, video security and command center technologies support public safety agencies and enterprises alike, enabling the coordination that’s critical for safer communities, safer schools, safer hospitals and safer businesses. Connect with a career that matters, and help us build a safer future. Department Overview The Supply Chain and Procurement organization is a fast-paced and dynamic environment, delivering best-in-class communications equipment and solutions for customers around the world. “We aim to be a trusted advisor to our business partners – providing innovative solutions at the best possible value for their sourcing needs” This role provides essential procurement and supplier expertise in the areas of strategic sourcing and category management with strong commercial and contractual experience. This role will deliver high quality, innovative and proven cost-effective methodologies to support company and department objectives. This role will interface and foster a collaborative environment with cross functional teams. This role requires exceptional verbal and written communication, strong organizational and time management skills. Job Description Motorola Solutions is building talent pipelines to meet future hiring demands. This is a pipeline role, while there is not an immediate opening, we want to build relationships with prospective candidates like you. If your background is a match to our requirements, we’ll follow up with an exploratory conversation. NOTE: This is a hybrid role - Candidate must reside in the Chicagoland area with the ability to work from the office as needed . Overview: The Procurement Category Manager - Services is a key role responsible for developing and executing procurement strategies for a portfolio of services categories, with a primary focus on third party systems implementation partners, professional services, and full-lifecycle field services (install, maintain, support). This role requires a strategic thinker with strong sourcing acumen, negotiation skills, and a proven track record of achieving significant cost reductions. The successful candidate will manage supplier relationships, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and ensure alignment with overall business objectives. Responsibilities: • Category Strategy Development & Management: Drive transformation by developing and executing innovative, solution-oriented sourcing strategies for our systems integration services. • Market Analysis & Sourcing: Conduct in-depth market research and analysis to identify trends, assess supplier capabilities, and inform sourcing decisions. Proactively identify and evaluate potential suppliers. • Competitive Bidding & Negotiation:Spearhead the development of robust Statements of Work (SOWs) and performance-based contracts, leading negotiations to optimize our total cost of ownership • Cost Reduction Initiatives: Drive aggressive cost reduction initiatives through negotiation, value engineering, process improvements, demand management, and alternative sourcing strategies. Identify and implement innovative cost savings opportunities. • Supplier Relationship Management: Cultivate strategic alliances with key service partners, implementing rigorous vendor performance management to ensure alignment with our business objectives. • Risk Management:Identify and mitigate supply chain risks related to assigned service categories, including project deployment delays, single-source dependencies, financial stability of suppliers, and compliance with regulatory requirements. • Stakeholder Management: Collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders (e.g., pre and post Sales teams, engineering, project and product management, legal) to understand business needs and ensure alignment on procurement strategies. • Contract Management: Manage the entire contract lifecycle, from drafting and negotiation to execution and compliance. Ensure contracts are properly maintained and tracked. • Compliance & Ethics: Ensure compliance with company policies, ethical standards, and relevant regulations. • Reporting & Analytics: Develop and maintain accurate procurement data, reports, and analytics to track performance, identify opportunities, and support decision-making. • Process Improvement: Identify and implement process improvements to streamline procurement operations and enhance efficiency. Qualifications: • Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field. • Min. 2 years of progressive experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, and category management. • Proven expertise in strategically sourcing the end-to-end services for large-scale technology deployments, with demonstrated success in managing third party systems implementation partners, professional services, and full-lifecycle field services (install, maintain, support). • Proven track record of achieving significant cost reductions through strategic sourcing and negotiation. • Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. • Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills. • Knowledge of contract law and procurement best practices. • Proficiency in using ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and e-sourcing tools. • Ability to work autonomously and manage multiple projects simultaneously. • Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders. Key Skills: • Category Management • Strategic Sourcing • Contract Negotiation • Cost Reduction • Supplier Relationship Management • Market Analysis • Risk Management • Stakeholder Management • Data Analysis • ERP Systems LI-#AB1 LI-#HYBRD Target Base Salary Range: $80,000.00 - $180,000.00 Consistent with Motorola Solutions values and applicable law, we provide the following information to promote pay transparency and equity. Pay within this range varies and depends on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The actual offer will be based on the individual candidate.  Basic Requirements • Bachelor's Degree in finance or similar business discipline • 2+ years of procurement or supply chain experience • Legal authorization to work in the U.S. indefinitely is required.  Employer work permit sponsorship is not available for this position Travel Requirements Under 25% Relocation Provided None Position Type Experienced Referral Payment Plan No Our U.S. Benefits include: • Incentive Bonus Plans • Medical, Dental, Vision benefits • 401K • 10 Paid Holidays • Generous Paid Time Off Packages • Employee Stock Purchase Plan • Paid Parental & Family Leave • and more! EEO Statement Motorola Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other legally-protected characteristic.  We are proud of our people-first and community-focused culture, empowering every Motorolan to be their most authentic self and to do their best work to deliver on the promise of a safer world. If you’d like to join our team but feel that you don’t quite meet all of the preferred skills, we’d still love to hear why you think you’d be a great addition to our team. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruiting experience for candidates with disabilities, or other physical or mental health conditions. To request an accommodation, please complete this  Reasonable Accommodations Form  so we can assist you.

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