Indirect Procurement Category Strategist – Meeting and Events Category

Indirect Procurement Category Strategist – Meeting and Events Category

Description -

Are you a dynamic, forward-thinking strategist with deep expertise in procurement, negotiations, and business transformation? Do you thrive in environments where you can influence at the executive level, shape sourcing strategies, and drive cost optimization across global operations? If so, this is your opportunity to lead, innovate, and make a lasting impact at HP!

The Meeting and Events category encompasses a range of subcategories that cover non-production spend areas critical to HP’s business operations. This category specifically includes sourcing and management of outsourced Meeting and Event Management services and solutions. Additionally, the Meeting and Events team will closely partner with other teams including Travel and Marketing. Strategists in this area focus on optimizing supplier relationships, ensuring service excellence, and driving innovation.

Role Overview

As a senior individual contributor in the Indirect Procurement organization, you will:

• Influence and engage with executive stakeholders to drive strategic sourcing decisions and optimize cost structures across HP’s business units.
• Serve as a senior negotiator in high-visibility supplier engagements, securing competitive advantages and fostering innovation.
• Partner cross-functionally with legal, finance, operations, and global category management teams to enable seamless and compliant execution.
• Analyze market trends and business intelligence to inform long-term sourcing strategies and uncover areas for growth, efficiency, and risk mitigation.
• Actively manage the execution of the Meeting & Events Policy that align with the business, consistently deliver value, optimize commercial leverage, mitigate risks, promote sustainability, and execute effectively with suppliers, striking a balance between investment and results
• Engage in sourcing and negotiation, Supplier Relationship Management, strategic alignment, risk management, and cost optimization
• Negotiate the MICE related contracts
• Advocate the existing Meeting & Events Booking Platforms and enable an improved stakeholder experience
• Align with the Sustainability & Risk department
• Comply with existing regulatory and audit requirements
• Translate the Meeting & Events Policy within the business
• Drives the Meeting & Events program from a Procurement side
• Identify potential suppliers by applying target vendor lists or supporting in the identification of alternatives
• Consider the market trends, the competitive landscape and the dynamics around the supply markets
• Safeguards the KPIs and SLAs as negotiated in the contracts
• Ensure sustainability is included as a criteria for Supplier selection

Why HP?

At HP, you’ll work with passionate, results-driven teams to deliver exceptional business outcomes. We foster innovation, empower bold thinkers, and create growth opportunities. Join us to help shape the future of procurement at one of the world’s most iconic companies.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Category Leadership:

• Develop, lead, and refine category strategies that support HP’s cost transformation and operational excellence goals.
• Drive initiatives that enable end-to-end value delivery through strategic sourcing, supply base optimization, and innovative supplier partnerships.

Executive-Level Influence & Business Consulting:

• Establish trusted advisor relationships with senior and executive stakeholders.
• Leverage deep industry and business knowledge to challenge assumptions and co-create impactful solutions that support business objectives.

High Spend Negotiation & Contracting:

• Lead complex negotiations with critical suppliers, securing favorable terms and enabling innovation, service excellence, and long-term value.
• Utilize advanced negotiation techniques and business acumen to influence commercial outcomes and mitigate risk.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Drive the synergies in working across key internal functions (Legal, Finance, Business Unit, Operations). 
• Ensure alignment and compliance while enabling fast, agile decision-making.

Supplier Innovation & Relationship Management:

• Develop strategic supplier relationships to foster co-innovation and continuous improvement.
• Partner with suppliers to explore new capabilities, technologies, and efficiencies.

Market Intelligence & Analytics:

• Lead in-depth spend, supplier, and market analysis to inform strategic direction.
• Translate complex data into executive-level insights and recommendations to influence business decisions.

Mentorship & Development:

• Coach and guide other category managers, supporting capability development in negotiation, strategy building, and stakeholder engagement.

Education and Experience Required

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or Master’s in Supply Chain Management or related field preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in procurement, consulting, or strategic sourcing, ideally in a global environment.
• Background in sales or consulting is strongly preferred

Preferred Certifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Lean Six Sigma
• C.P.M., CPSM, CPSD, CPCM, CCCM CSCP, CPIM, CLTD, or other related certifications
• CMP designation

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong knowledge of indirect categories
• Expert-level negotiation and business strategy capabilities
• Proven ability to influence and consult with executives and senior stakeholders
• Ability to provide innovative solutions to complex issues
• Deep knowledge of supply chain, financial modeling, and business strategy tools
• Exceptional communication, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Experience managing complex supplier ecosystems and delivering transformational outcomes
• AI Fluency

Cross-Org Skills

• Excellent communication and influencing abilities, including at an executive level
• Strong analytical and data analysis skills
• An ability to lead cross-functional teams effectively and drive strategic initiatives
• Strong mentoring and leadership skills
• Proactive in identifying areas for improvement and risk mitigation
• Results Orientation
• Learning Agility
• Digital Fluency
• Customer Centricity

Working Conditions

• Global role with support across multiple time zones.
• Occasional travel for supplier meetings, governance reviews, and leadership summits.
• Hybrid role – on-site 3 days/week.

Management Level

Principal

Impact & Scope

Impacts large functions and leads large, cross-division functional teams or projects.

Complexity

Provides highly innovative solutions to complex problems within established policy.

Disclaimer

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed in this role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, skills, responsibilities, knowledge, etc. These may be subject to change and additional functions may be assigned as needed by management.

Job -

Supply Chain & Operations

Schedule -

Full time

Shift -

No shift premium (Mexico)

Travel -

Relocation -

Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) - 

HP, Inc. provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and prospective employees, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, age, disability, or status as a protected veteran, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic predisposition or carrier status, uniformed service status, political affiliation or any other characteristic protected by applicable national, federal, state, and local law(s).

Please be assured that you will not be subject to any adverse treatment if you choose to disclose the information requested. This information is provided voluntarily. The information obtained will be kept in strict confidence.

For more information, review HP’s EEO Policy or read about your rights as an applicant under the law here: “Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal"