Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose of economic empowerment. The blocks that form our foundational teams — People, Finance, Counsel, Hardware, Information Security, Platform Infrastructure Engineering, and more — provide support and guidance at the corporate level. They work across business groups and around the globe, spanning time zones and disciplines to develop inclusive People policies, forecast finances, give legal counsel, safeguard systems, nurture new initiatives, and more. Every challenge creates possibilities, and we need different perspectives to see them all. Bring yours to Block.

As the Strategic Sourcing Senior Manager in Technology, you will play a pivotal role in driving the organization's success through expert management of IT sourcing and strategic negotiations. Your primary responsibility will be to develop and execute robust category management strategies for critical IT domains, including Cloud Services, Enterprise Software Solutions, and Network Hardware. By leveraging your deep industry knowledge and negotiation prowess, you will lead initiatives to achieve substantial year-over-year savings, ensuring compliance with legal requirements and fostering strong supplier relationships.  You will be an individual contributor role and will report to the Global Procurement Lead.

You will:

Category Management:

• Develop and implement robust category management strategies for IT categories, encompassing hardware, software, cloud services, reseller, and other technology-related products and services.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to understand business needs and align category strategies with organizational objectives.
• Utilize market intelligence, benchmarking, and industry trends to stay informed and proactively identify opportunities for improvement.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of category management initiatives.
• Create and execute improvement plans for short, medium, and long-term goals, ensuring alignment with the organization's strategic objectives.
• Continuously assess and optimize supplier relationships to drive performance and achieve cost savings.

Sourcing Strategy:

• Lead the development of enterprise-wide sourcing strategies for technology, incorporating supplier segmentation, risk profiles, and spend & cost analysis.
• Stay abreast of industry best practices and emerging trends to inform and enhance sourcing strategies.
• Conduct thorough market research to identify potential suppliers and evaluate their capabilities, ensuring alignment with organizational needs.
• Employ various sourcing tactics, such as RFP/RFI/RFQ, E-auctions, and benchmarking, to negotiate favorable contracts and achieve 10%+ savings targets.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure sourcing strategies align with business goals and requirements.

Negotiation:

• Demonstrate expert negotiation skills in engagements with Cloud Service Providers and top-tier Enterprise Software Providers.
• Lead contract negotiation, ensuring agreements are favorable, cost-effective, and compliant with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key vendors to drive mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Monitor contract performance, addressing issues promptly and proactively identifying opportunities for improvement.

Supplier Relationship Management:

• Champion the Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) program with tier 1 and critical suppliers, fostering collaborative partnerships.
• Implement initiatives to improve the total cost of ownership, quality of service, and delivery from key suppliers.
• Conduct regular business reviews, evaluating supplier performance against established KPIs and SLAs.
• Work closely with suppliers to identify areas for continuous improvement and innovation.
• Effectively manage risks associated with supplier relationships, ensuring business continuity and compliance.

Team Collaboration:

• Collaborate closely with procurement team members and cross-functional teams to share best practices, successes, and lessons learned.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development.
• Contribute to building a high-performing team through effective communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.

You have:

• 10+ years of experience in IT sourcing, specifically in enterprise software/SaaS, Cloud services, and Network Hardware.
• 7+ years of experience managing senior-level relationships with top-tier enterprise SaaS vendors.
• 7+ years of enterprise technology procurement and contract negotiation experience with SaaS vendors, including deep knowledge of licensing models and key contract terms.
• Experience leading large-scale software optimization initiatives, such as app rationalization and license optimization.
• Proven track record of achieving 10% plus year-over-year savings, expertise in contract negotiations, and delivering measurable, valuable results aligned with organizational KPIs.
• Strong understanding of data analytics and the ability to leverage data-driven insights for decision-making.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies in the IT industry and the ability to anticipate and address potential sourcing challenges.

Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future. Please note, we are not hiring in Zone A for this role. If you are currently located in Zone A and are in the process of moving to a location outside of Zone A, please indicate so in your application. 

Zone A: USD $138,200 - USD $169,000
Zone B: USD $128,500 - USD $157,100
Zone C: USD $121,700 - USD $148,700
Zone D: USD $110,600 - USD $135,200

To find a location’s zone designation, please refer to this resource. If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information. 

Full-time employee benefits include the following:

• Healthcare coverage (Medical, Vision and Dental insurance)
• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Plans including company match 
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Wellness programs, including access to mental health, 1:1 financial planners, and a monthly wellness allowance 
• Paid parental and caregiving leave
• Paid time off (including 12 paid holidays)
• Paid sick leave (1 hour per 26 hours worked (max 80 hours per calendar year to the extent legally permissible) for non-exempt employees and covered by our Flexible Time Off policy for exempt employees) 
• Learning and Development resources
• Paid Life insurance, AD&D, and disability benefits 

These benefits are further detailed in Block's policies. This role is also eligible to participate in Block's equity plan subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies, and may be eligible for a sign-on bonus. Sales roles may be eligible to participate in a commission plan subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.

US and Canada EEOC Statement

We’re working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is a proud equal opportunity employer. We work hard to evaluate all employees and job applicants consistently, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other legally protected class. 

We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we’re doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page.

Additionally, we consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment on our team, and always assess candidates on an individualized basis.

We’ve noticed a rise in recruiting impersonations across the industry, where individuals are sending fake job offer emails. Contact from any of our recruiters or employees will always come from an email address ending with @block.xyz, @squareup.com, @tidal.com, or @afterpay.com, @clearpay.co.uk.

Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) is a global technology company with a focus on financial services. Made up of Square, Cash App, Spiral, TIDAL, and TBD, we build tools to help more people access the economy. Square helps sellers run and grow their businesses with its integrated ecosystem of commerce solutions, business software, and banking services. With Cash App, anyone can easily send, spend, or invest their money in stocks or Bitcoin. Spiral (formerly Square Crypto) builds and funds free, open-source Bitcoin projects. Artists use TIDAL to help them succeed as entrepreneurs and connect more deeply with fans. TBD is building an open developer platform to make it easier to access Bitcoin and other blockchain technologies without having to go through an institution.

While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, on average, U.S. open roles are posted for 70 days before being filled by a successful candidate.