Category Manager - HR and Legal Services

The Global Category Manager is responsible for leading Agilent’s sourcing strategy and supplier management for HR Services (including Benefits) and Legal Services categories. This role operates within the global Indirect Strategic Sourcing organization and partners closely with HR and Legal business leaders to drive value, mitigate risk, and enable consistent, high-quality service delivery across Agilent’s global footprint.

This role is a key contributor to Agilent’s enterprise-wide procurement transformation, ensuring alignment to global category strategies while effectively addressing regional business needs. Critical to success in this role is the ability to influence senior stakeholders across functions and regions, drive alignment on strategic direction, and execute sourcing strategies with discipline to deliver measurable outcomes.

• Develop and execute multi-year global category strategies aligned to Agilent’s business priorities and financial targets

• Define category roadmaps for:

  • HR Services (employee benefits, payroll, talent services, contingent labor support)

  • Legal Services (outside counsel, IP support, litigation, etc.)

• Drive standardization, supplier consolidation, and demand management across regions

• Leverage market intelligence and benchmarking to inform sourcing decisions

• Lead global and regional sourcing initiatives (RFPs, RFQs, negotiations, contract execution)

• Negotiate complex commercial models (e.g., benefits brokerage, legal fee structures, outcome-based pricing)

• Implement and manage supplier governance, performance scorecards, and quarterly business reviews

• Drive continuous improvement and innovation from key suppliers

• Serve as the primary sourcing partner to Global HR and Legal leadership

• Align procurement strategies with functional priorities and regional nuances

• Influence stakeholders to adopt global sourcing strategies, policies, and preferred suppliers

• Support change management and communication to ensure successful implementation

• Mitigate supplier and commercial risks through structured contracting and governance models

• Ensure adherence to Agilent procurement policies, Delegation of Authority (DOA), and audit requirements

• Manage sensitive supplier relationships (e.g., legal firms, benefits providers) with appropriate confidentiality

• Deliver year-over-year cost savings and value creation aligned to sourcing targets

• Manage category spend visibility, forecasting, and reporting through Agilent procurement systems

• Identify and execute on total cost of ownership (TCO) optimization opportunities

• Track and report KPIs including savings, compliance, supplier performance, and stakeholder satisfaction

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, or related discipline

• 10+ years of procurement/sourcing experience, with strong focus on Indirect services

• Demonstrated experience in HR services/benefits and/or legal services sourcing categories

• Proven success operating in a global, matrixed organization

• Strong commercial acumen, negotiation, and contract management expertise

• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive alignment across functions

• Master’s or equivalent advanced degree

• Experience within a life sciences, diagnostics, or highly regulated industry

• Familiarity with Agilent systems and tools (Ariba eSourcing, Ironclad, spend analytics)

• Delivery of annual savings targets and Transformation targets

• Adoption of global category strategies

• Supplier performance and service quality improvements

• Contract compliance and risk mitigation

• Stakeholder satisfaction and engagement