Lead Category Manager - Public Sector Subcontract Management

About Lumen

Lumen connects the world. We are igniting business growth by connecting people, data and applications - quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Together, we are building a culture and company from the people up - committed to teamwork, trust and transparency. People power progress.

We're looking for top-tier talent and offer the flexibility you need to thrive and deliver lasting impact. Join us as we digitally connect the world and shape the future.

The Role

The Lead Category Manager oversees strategy, sourcing, negotiation, and contracting of highly complex services and products, aligning procurement strategies to business objectives while optimizing supplier value and performance.

In this role, you will also serve as a senior Public Sector subcontracting lead, supporting capture/proposal work, subcontract award execution, and subcontract administration/performance expectations for Public Sector programs.

Work Location

This is a work from home position within the U.S.

The Main Responsibilities

Category intelligence

Analyze category spend (sub-category, supplier, business unit), market conditions, and should-cost; partner with Reporting & Analytics to leverage standard analytics.

Monitor supplier landscape, market shifts, and innovation; ensure full cross-segment spend visibility.

Build and lead VP+ strategy discussions using crisp, decision-ready content.

Category strategy

Translate insights into an annual category plan aligned to business-unit goals and budget targets.

Execute value levers: sourcing events, negotiation, demand management, and value engineering.

RFx (RFI/RFP) strategy

Define RFx approach, lead high-complexity events, and delegate tactical execution as appropriate.

For Public Sector subcontracting, support subcontract requests (RFP/RFI/ROM/LoE) with disciplined scope, PoP (period of performance), and required documentation.

Contracting / subcontracting

Negotiate and manage high-complexity agreements; transition lower-risk, lower-complexity contracts to procurement using approved templates and standard terms.

Own or co-own Public Sector subcontract lifecycle for third parties: contract discovery, NDA confirmation, and MSA/subcontract templating with Legal review when required.

During capture/proposal, shape the supplier/subcontractor team; enforce NDA coverage before sharing information.

Draft and execute agreements defining scope, deliverables, SLAs, milestones, and schedules.

Enable efficient Legal review by providing clear business context; flag risks, misalignment, and policy conflicts early.

Stakeholder management

Operate as a strategic partner: align priorities, anticipate demand, and run a regular operating cadence to track outcomes and remove blockers.

Partner across Public Sector stakeholders (Program Management, Product, Sales, Legal) per the procurement support model (RFx, proposal support, negotiation, supplier management).

Supplier management

Serve as primary supplier contact; orchestrate interactions and prepare stakeholders for supplier communications, including QBRs and SLA performance.

Track performance; deliver actionable feedback and drive continuous improvement.

For Public Sector subcontractors, define performance reporting and initiate corrective actions-including replacement or termination-when performance warrants.

What We Look For in a Candidate

Required

• Bachelor's degree and/or relevant experience; minimum 8+ years of related experience.

• Proven background negotiating high-complexity, high-dollar contracts in a fast-paced environment; intermediate-to-advanced experience reviewing contract terms.

• Experience administering or supporting subcontracts under FAR/DFARS-governed prime contracts, including understanding and applying subcontracting policies/procedures and required clause flow-downs.

• Cost reimbursable services subcontracting experience: draft/negotiate SOW/LoE, define PoP, manage ceiling/funding, enforce allowable/allocable costs.

• Complex contract-type fluency: execute services work under cost-reimbursement, T&M, and IDIQ/task-order structures while controlling scope, PoP, and risk.

• Demonstrated exceptional interpersonal and communications skills with senior internal stakeholders and complex suppliers.

• Experience overseeing supplier relationships, including regular performance reviews and discussions.

• Strong to expert knowledge of procurement systems such as SAP and Ariba; strong analytical/problem-solving skills and ability to process complex data.

• Public Sector subcontracting experience supporting subcontractor/supplier onboarding and agreement execution steps (including NDA and teaming agreement concepts and/or subcontract agreement execution) consistent with Public Sector subcontract management procedures.

• Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining CPSR-ready / CPSR-compliant procurement documentation and contract files (e.g., commercial item determinations, required signatures/approvals, cost/price analysis support, and clause flow-down documentation).

Compensation

This information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.

Location Based Pay Ranges

$129,639 - $172,852 in these states: AL AR AZ FL GA IA ID IN KS KY LA ME MO MS MT ND NE NM OH OK PA SC SD TN UT VT WI WV WY

$136,121 - $181,494 in these states: CO HI MI MN NC NH NV OR RI

$142,603 - $190,137 in these states: AK CA CT DC DE IL MA MD NJ NY TX VA WA

Lumen offers a comprehensive package featuring a broad range of Health, Life, Voluntary Lifestyle benefits and other perks that enhance your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing. We're able to answer any additional questions you may have about our bonus structure (short-term incentives, long-term incentives and/or sales compensation) as you move through the selection process.

Learn more about Lumen's:

Benefits ()

Bonus Structure

#LI-HR1

#LI-REMOTE

Requisition #: 341238

Background Screening

If you are selected for a position, there will be a background screen, which may include checks for criminal records and/or motor vehicle reports and/or drug screening, depending on the position requirements. For more information on these checks, please refer to the Post Offer section of our FAQ page () . Job-related concerns identified during the background screening may disqualify you from the new position or your current role. Background results will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Equal Employment Opportunities

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or information, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, family status, pregnancy, or other legally protected status (collectively, "protected statuses"). We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training.

Disclaimer

The job responsibilities described above indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to include a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities for this job. Job duties and responsibilities are subject to change based on evolving business needs and conditions.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Please be advised that Lumen does not require any form of payment from job applicants during the recruitment process. All legitimate job openings will be posted on our official website or communicated through official company email addresses. If you encounter any job offers that request payment in exchange for employment at Lumen, they are not for employment with us, but may relate to another company with a similar name.