Manager - Services Sourcing

Company Description

Organizations everywhere struggle under the crushing costs and complexities of “solutions” that promise to simplify their lives. To create a better experience for their customers and employees. To help them grow. Software is a choice that can make or break a business. Create better or worse experiences. Propel or throttle growth. Business software has become a blocker instead of ways to get work done.

There’s another option. Freshworks. With a fresh vision for how the world works.

Freshworks Inc. builds uncomplicated service software that delivers exceptional employee and customer experiences. Our people-first approach to AI eliminates friction, helping businesses reduce complexity, lower cost-to-serve, and deliver faster, more human support through enterprise-grade yet easy-to-use CX and IT solutions. Nearly 75,000 companies, including Bridgestone, New Balance, Nucor, S&P Global, and Sony Music, trust Freshworks to power their Employee Experience (EX) and Customer Experience (CX) operations.

Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.

Job Description

Freshworks is looking for an experienced and driven Manager, Services Sourcing to lead a team of sourcing category managers within our transforming procurement organization. In this role, you will combine strong leadership skills with hands-on sourcing expertise. You will be responsible for overseeing a team of sourcing experts while also contributing individually to the execution of critical sourcing projects. The ideal candidate is a highly organized individual with a proven track record in procurement, excellent communication skills, and a passion for developing talent. This is a working manager role, so being able to negotiate and execute purchasing deals will be required.

Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Management:

• Supervise and mentor a team of sourcing professionals, providing guidance, support, and performance feedback
• Foster a collaborative and high-performing team environment, promoting teamwork and knowledge sharing
• Delegate tasks effectively, monitor progress, and ensure team members meet performance expectations (Individual Contribution Goals and SLAs)
• Identify training and development needs for team members and facilitate their professional growth
• Contribute to the recruitment and onboarding of new team members.
• Understand internal procurement processes to provide guidance to team and stakeholders.
• Partner and collaborate with stakeholder leadership

Sourcing Execution:

• Execute sourcing projects using category-level strategies and established processes
• Support the creation, review, and negotiation of contracts, ensuring favorable terms and conditions
• Negotiate with suppliers on pricing, service level agreements, and other key commercial and legal terms to maximize savings and achieve defined goals
• Conduct risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential supplier-related risks
• Execute competitive bids to identify the best-value suppliers
• Manage supplier relationships, while measuring supplier actual performance against negotiated SLA’s and quality metrics.
• Deep understanding of sourcing and supplier management.
   

Required Skills:

• Sourcing and Procurement - ability to identify, evaluate, and acquire goods or services from external sources in a cost-effective and efficient manner, involving understanding market trends, supplier performance, supply chain management, negotiation tactics, contracts, and quality assurance
• Contract Management - ability to efficiently manage contractual agreements with suppliers to maximize performance and minimize risk, involving understanding the terms and conditions of contracts, legal implications, risk management techniques, and managing contract creation, execution, and analysis 
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and develop a team of procurement professionals
• Relationship Building - ability to establish and nurture strong connections with stakeholders by understanding interpersonal dynamics, effective communication strategies, empathy, and the ability to manage conflicts or disagreements
• Supplier Relationship Management - ability to develop and manage partnerships with vendors that supply goods, materials, and services, while understanding procurement strategies, supplier performance monitoring, and risk management
• Sourcing Strategies - the implementation of methods to manage procurement processes effectively, involves understanding the supply market/market analysis, cost modeling/assessing total cost of ownership, performance monitoring, risk management, and negotiation tactics
• Results-Oriented - ability to focus on the desired outcome of a project or task, while  setting clear goals and prioritizing tasks to achieve the desired outcome and consistently 

Qualifications

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in procurement or sourcing
• Proven track record of successfully managing and developing a team.
• Proficiency in procurement systems and tools
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Additional Information

We're committed to building a workplace that reflects the diverse world we serve. At Freshworks, you'll find inclusive teams, flexible thinking, and opportunities to grow your career - while making work better for millions. 

If this sounds like a journey you want to be part of, we'd love to meet you. Let's building something refreshing together. 

The annual base salary range for this position is $145,000 - $180,000 Base Salary. 

Compensation is based on a variety of factors including but not limited to location, experience, job-related skills, and level. Bonus/equity may be available.

At Freshworks, we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion, welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees, communities, and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.