Procurement Category Advisor - Technology Services, Lausanne

At Chain IQ, your ideas move fast.

Chain IQ is a global AI‑driven Procurement Service Partner, headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, with operations across main centers and 16 offices worldwide. We provide tailored, end‑to‑end procurement solutions that enable transformation, drive scalability, and deliver substantial reductions in our clients’ indirect spend. Our culture is built on innovation, entrepreneurship, ownership, and impact. Here, your voice matters – bold thinking is encouraged, and action follows ambition.

About The Role This role sits at the intersection of consulting, procurement, and commercial value creation. As an IT Category Expert Advisor, you will play a critical role in identifying, structuring, and validating savings opportunities. You will lead and execute the IT workstream in opportunity assessment projects before a potential client enters a strategic indirect procurement managed services partnership with Chain IQ.

As Chain IQ, we don’t negotiate as a single company – we negotiate as part of a USD 70bn indirect spend ecosystem with deep category expertise. We extract value where others leave it on the table through rigorous processes, the use of technology and AI, real benchmark data, and scale, supported by a global team of750 experts assigned to a category. We don’t just reduce prices – we fundamentally change our clients’ cost structures. As part of this team, you need to be able to leverage these value drivers and apply them effectively in the sales phase.

Key Responsibilities

Lead IT category‑specific workstreams during opportunity assessment projects

Conduct interviews with senior stakeholders (e.g., CIO, Head of IT, Head of IT Infrastructure) to understand operating models and demand drivers

Challenge the status quo of sourcing and procurement approaches

Analyze spend data, supplier landscapes, and key IT supplier contracts

Identify and quantify savings and optimization opportunities (quick wins and structural improvements)

Translate findings into category strategies and supplier approaches

Prepare structured, executive‑ready deliverables and short presentations (e.g., category one‑pager summaries, deep dives)

Lead client‑facing discussions and challenge senior IT and procurement stakeholders where required

Orchestrate inputs and benchmark data from Chain IQ lead buyers, SMEs, and sourcing teams

Validate assumptions and ensure robustness of savings logic and recommendations

Support post‑project activities (deep dives, client Q&A, negotiation input)

Contribute to internal knowledge building, playbooks, and IT category insights

Your Profile

Category Expertise: Deep expertise in the IT category and expert‑level expertise in one or several IT sub‑categories:

Hardware

Software

Infrastructure

Telecommunications

Services

Strong understanding of global and regional supplier landscapes, pricing models, and key levers for optimizing outcomes

Procurement Experience: Proven hands‑on experience in strategic sourcing / procurement, track record of delivering measurable savings and optimizing outcomes, experience negotiating complex supplier contracts

Consulting Mindset: Experience in client‑facing roles and/or consulting/advisory, ability to structure complex problems and communicate clearly, strong stakeholder management at senior level

Additional Requirements

8+ years of relevant experience in a similar position

Strong commercial acumen and contract understanding in the IT category

Ability to identify value opportunities quickly with limited data

Structured, analytical, and able to operate in ambiguity

Excellent communication and presentation skills

Fluent in English (additional languages are a plus)

What You Will Work On

High‑impact, fast‑paced projects across multiple industries for high‑calibre clients (USD 3bn+ revenue)

Direct exposure to senior client stakeholders

Opportunity to shape deal outcomes and value creation strategies

Collaboration with global teams across Europe and the Americas

What This Role Is (and Is Not) This role is client‑facing, fast‑paced, and dynamic, as well as focused on value creation and strategy.

This role is not a traditional sourcing / execution role, a back‑office or operational position, or a static, low‑intensity environment.

Join a truly global team We offer a dynamic and international environment where high performance meets real purpose. We’re proud to be Great Place to Work‑certified and even prouder of the people who make that possible. Let’s shape the future of procurement – together.

Chain IQ– Create. Lead. Make an impact. Chain IQ – Create. Lead. Make an impact.

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