Leads global strategic sourcing and category plans for laboratory capital equipment and related projects, primarily in North America. Manages procurement lifecycles, supplier relationships, negotiations, contracts, cost savings, risk, project pipelines, and preferred supplier programs. Serves as the sourcing subject matter expert for laboratory expansions, relocations, and new sites while partnering with business, finance, laboratory, legal, and operations stakeholders. Drives process improvements, policy adherence, supplier performance, and commercial efficiency.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Reporting to the Manager - Global Strategic Sourcing, this role will lead the development and execution of category plans for across the UL Solutions enterprise as it relates to Laboratories, capital equipment sourcing and projects - with a primary focus on North America. The category manager of this area will be responsible for implementing a range of initiatives to support UL and Global Sourcing objectives.
This is a full-time, hybrid (3 days in-office) position located in Northbrook, IL or Chicago, IL.
RESPONSIBILITIES
QUALIFICATIONS
Total Rewards: We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. The estimated salary range for this position is $115,000- $140,000 and is based on multiple factors, including job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, as well as other factors. This position is eligible for annual bonus compensation with a target payout of 20% of the base salary. This position also provides health benefits such as medical, dental and vision; wellness benefits such as mental and financial health; and retirement savings (401K) commensurate with the standard rewards offered in each individual location or country. We also provide full-time employees with paid time off including vacation (15 days), holiday and personal days (totaling 12 days), and sick time off (72 hours).
#LI-SM3
#LI-Hybrid
ABOUT US
A global leader in applied safety science, UL Solutions (NYSE: ULS) transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in more than 110 countries. UL Solutions delivers testing, inspection and certification services, together with software products and advisory offerings, that support our customers' product innovation and business growth. The UL Mark serves as a recognized symbol of trust in our customers' products and reflects an unwavering commitment to advancing our safety mission. We help our customers innovate, launch new products and services, navigate global markets and complex supply chains, and grow sustainably and responsibly into the future. Our science is your advantage.
ABOUT THE TEAM
At the core of our expanding organization is our Finance team. We're a growing group of professionals, based around the world, who share ideas, work together and innovate to drive strategic growth and ensure financial integrity. Whether you're an expert in taxes, treasury, accounting, financial planning and analysis or corporate strategy and development, we're always looking for ambitious finance professionals who want to make an impact at a publicly traded company that's leading the way in safety science. Join our team, be part of our global community and drive the success of our mission-driven organization.
Reporting to the Manager - Global Strategic Sourcing, this role will lead the development and execution of category plans for across the UL Solutions enterprise as it relates to Laboratories, capital equipment sourcing and projects - with a primary focus on North America. The category manager of this area will be responsible for implementing a range of initiatives to support UL and Global Sourcing objectives.
This is a full-time, hybrid (3 days in-office) position located in Northbrook, IL or Chicago, IL.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop Category Plans and sourcing strategies on a portfolio of key initiatives for laboratory & equipment procurement projects.
- Manage all aspects of Sourcing processes through the lifecycle of the Budget, RFI/RFQ/RFP, managing complex global negotiations and contracts, execution of MSAs, of varying levels of spend across the category portfolio.
- Will play Subject Matter Expert (SME) and be the single point of contact to the business and suppliers from design through implementation phases of global laboratory footprint (expansions, greenfield site, relocations etc.) as it relates to sourcing / procurement activities.
- Drive key supplier relationships, lead negotiations independently, drive cost savings and manage risks.
- Manage project pipeline and a standardized cadence of business reviews of the supply base across the category of spend.
- Build relationships with key business stakeholders in COUs / Segments, Integrated Labs, Lab Operations, Finance, and other areas within the UL enterprise, to engage strategic sourcing throughout the process and be the trusted advisor to the business on sourcing engagements.
- Lead key sourcing initiatives, achieving best value within acceptable risk.
- Drive internal process improvements / toolset implementation etc., within the global sourcing organization.
- Drive Preferred Supplier Base and Approved Equipment List, rationalize the number of suppliers and reduce fragmentation in the spend base to simplify the supplier landscape and drive commercial efficiency globally.
- Manage key suppliers to ensure that all contractual obligations are met, initiatives are performing against business case and that issues and disputes are resolved in a timely manner.
- Build and enhance relationships with strategic suppliers to deliver high levels of service while maintaining best-in-class commercial terms and conditions
- Drive Global Sourcing policy & process adherence and enforcement across the UL Solutions enterprise.
- Performs other duties as directed.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Supply Chain Management, or related field with 5+ years of experience in developing and executing category strategies in large scale capital equipment procurement and projects / Laboratory build-outs. Knowledge of Procurement processes and operations is required.
- Experience in capital equipment, lab services, EMC/AHL/EIA/BE is preferred.
- Deep knowledge of equipment providers, Lab System Integrators, lab consumables and construction management ecosystem.
- Solves complex problems and takes a broad perspective to identify innovative solutions.
- Comfortable independently interacting with and presenting to senior leadership including Director/VP-level executives.
- Works independently, with guidance in only the most complex situations and lead functional teams/ projects with excellent attention to details.
- Proven track record of delivering significant and sustainable cost reductions through effective development and execution of sourcing strategy
- Superior relationship management and cross-functional leadership skills
- Experienced sourcing practitioner, understanding of best-practice sourcing methodology and a demonstrated track record of working ethically to achieve excellent outcomes
- Knowledge of standard legal & commercial contracting practices and procedures.
- Ability to interpret and summarizing contractual terms for internal clients - Legal/Business/Laboratories/Finance etc.
- Ability to take a hands-on approach to analyze and interpret spend data is support of sourcing initiatives and UL business objectives.
- Strong process management, data assimilation & presentation, organizational and effective time management skills.
- Strong proficiency in communications - both written and verbal.
Total Rewards: We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. The estimated salary range for this position is $115,000- $140,000 and is based on multiple factors, including job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, as well as other factors. This position is eligible for annual bonus compensation with a target payout of 20% of the base salary. This position also provides health benefits such as medical, dental and vision; wellness benefits such as mental and financial health; and retirement savings (401K) commensurate with the standard rewards offered in each individual location or country. We also provide full-time employees with paid time off including vacation (15 days), holiday and personal days (totaling 12 days), and sick time off (72 hours).
#LI-SM3
#LI-Hybrid
ABOUT US
A global leader in applied safety science, UL Solutions (NYSE: ULS) transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in more than 110 countries. UL Solutions delivers testing, inspection and certification services, together with software products and advisory offerings, that support our customers' product innovation and business growth. The UL Mark serves as a recognized symbol of trust in our customers' products and reflects an unwavering commitment to advancing our safety mission. We help our customers innovate, launch new products and services, navigate global markets and complex supply chains, and grow sustainably and responsibly into the future. Our science is your advantage.
ABOUT THE TEAM
At the core of our expanding organization is our Finance team. We're a growing group of professionals, based around the world, who share ideas, work together and innovate to drive strategic growth and ensure financial integrity. Whether you're an expert in taxes, treasury, accounting, financial planning and analysis or corporate strategy and development, we're always looking for ambitious finance professionals who want to make an impact at a publicly traded company that's leading the way in safety science. Join our team, be part of our global community and drive the success of our mission-driven organization.
UL Solutions Boston, Massachusetts, USA Office
Boston, MA, United States
Similar Jobs at UL Solutions
Automotive • Professional Services • Software • Consulting • Energy • Chemical • Renewable Energy
The Data Scientist will analyze complex datasets, build predictive models, collaborate with stakeholders, and present insights for business decisions.
Top Skills:
Power BIPythonRSQLTableau
Automotive • Professional Services • Software • Consulting • Energy • Chemical • Renewable Energy
Hybrid (3 days/week Chicago) SDR role generating leads, researching and engaging accounts, qualifying prospects, scheduling demos, supporting sales presentations, running nurture campaigns, using CRM to track activity, attending events, and meeting monthly/quarterly/annual quotas.
Top Skills:
Crm Software
56 Seconds Ago
Automotive • Professional Services • Software • Consulting • Energy • Chemical • Renewable Energy
Lead international go-to-market strategy and portfolio marketing for Sustainability and Building Technologies & Construction. Align product, sales, and marketing teams, develop buyer personas and customer-centric messaging, drive launches and sales enablement, and translate technical/regulatory topics into clear content to grow market adoption.
What you need to know about the Boston Tech Scene
Boston is a powerhouse for technology innovation thanks to world-class research universities like MIT and Harvard and a robust pipeline of venture capital investment. Host to the first telephone call and one of the first general-purpose computers ever put into use, Boston is now a hub for biotechnology, robotics and artificial intelligence — though it’s also home to several B2B software giants. So it’s no surprise that the city consistently ranks among the greatest startup ecosystems in the world.
Key Facts About Boston Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 269,000; 9.4% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Toast, Klaviyo, HubSpot, DraftKings
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, software, aerospace
- Funding Landscape: $15.7 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Summit Partners, Volition Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, MassVentures, Highland Capital Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: MIT, Harvard University, Boston College, Tufts University, Boston University, Northeastern University, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, National Bureau of Economic Research, Broad Institute, Lowell Center for Space Science & Technology, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories

