Title: Director, Category Management Practice Lead CoE Requisition ID: 271456
Join a purpose driven winning team, committed to results, in an inclusive and high-performing culture.
Purpose The Category Management Practice Lead (Centre of Excellence) reporting to VPs Strategic Sourcing and Vendor Management is responsible for defining, standardizing, and continuously improving the category management framework, tools, and practices across the organization. This role drives consistency, capability uplift, and value realization by embedding leading practices in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and category strategy execution.
The Practice Lead partners closely with Category Leads, Risk, Finance, and Business stakeholders to ensure category strategies are data-driven, compliant, and aligned to enterprise objectives including cost optimization, resilience, sustainability and innovation.
Reporting Relationships Reports to: VP, Strategic Sourcing and Vendor Management, Technology, VP, Strategic Sourcing and Vendor Management Corporate Services.
Direct Reports: Approximately 1-2
Major Accountabilities 1. Category Management Framework & Governance Develop and maintain the enterprise category management methodology, standards, and templates
Establish governance processes to ensure consistent application across all categories
Align category practices with regulatory expectations (e.g., OSFI B-10), internal policies, and risk frameworks
Define category segmentation models (strategic, critical, transactional, tail spend)
Enable development of robust category strategies (3–5 year horizon) aligned to business objectives
Provide guidance on demand management, should-cost modelling, and commercial strategies
Ensure consistent integration of:
Supplier risk and resilience
Innovation and digital enablement
Review and challenge category strategies to ensure quality and value creation
Facilitate category vendor optimization discussions, including supplier consolidation, challenger strategies, competitive tension, and enterprise leverage opportunities to improve value, service, risk, and commercial outcomes for the bank
3. Data, Insights & Performance Management Define category KPIs and performance frameworks, including:
Cost savings and cost avoidance
Value beyond savings (revenue generation, innovation)
Supplier performance and concentration risk




Partner with analytics teams to deliver spend analytics, market intelligence, and benchmarking
Drive adoption of data-driven decision-making across procurement
4. Capability Building & Change Leadership Lead capability uplift initiatives across Procurement, including:
Category management training programs
Playbooks and knowledge repositories
Best-practice sharing forums
Targeted coaching, practical skill-building, and peer learning focused on stakeholder management, commercial acumen, executive influence, and cross-business-line planning
Coach Category Managers and senior stakeholders on advanced category practices
Coach Category Managers on how to shape strategic category plans, build stakeholder confidence, and influence adoption of category priorities across business lines
Drive change management to embed consistent category behaviours enterprise-wide
5. Stakeholder Engagement & Business Partnership Act as a strategic advisor to senior procurement and business leaders
Facilitate alignment between procurement and business units on category priorities
Equip category teams with stakeholder engagement approaches, discussion guides, and escalation strategies to navigate competing business priorities and secure alignment on enterprise category plans
Support executive reporting and communications on category performance and outcomes
Monitor external market trends and benchmark against leading organizations
Drive continuous improvement initiatives in processes, tools, and digital procurement capabilities
Champion use of AI, automation, and advanced analytics in category management
Education/Work Experience/Designations 10+ years of progressive procurement experience, including category management leadership
Demonstrated experience in building and leading a Category Management Centre of Excellence
Solid understanding of:
Strategic sourcing and supplier relationship management
Category vendor optimization, supplier leverage strategies,



and commercial negotiation approaches that use competitive tension appropriately to deliver value for the bank
Risk management and regulatory requirements (financial services experience preferred)
Experience operating in large, complex, and regulated organizations
Dimensions Strategic thinking with ability to translate into actionable frameworks
Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills at senior levels
Ability to coach, challenge, and uplift category talent in stakeholder management, strategic influence, and enterprise-wide category plan adoption
Advanced analytical and problem-solving capabilities
Excellent communication and executive presentation skills
Change leadership and capability development expertise
Highly collaborative with an enterprise mindset
Ability to link own team goals and objectives to the broader organization
Ability to utilize and leverage various forms of related software and technology
Building and maintaining strategic relationships and networks with internal and external professionals to continually improve upon the effectiveness of practice management
Maintaining a detailed understanding of overall bank goals, strategies, objectives and priorities, and business line strategies, issues, and objectives.
Working Conditions Work in a standard office-based environment; Hybrid
Location(s): Canada : Ontario : Toronto
Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: "for every future", we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets.
At Scotiabank, we value the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the Bank, and are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. If you require accommodation (including, but not limited to, an accessible interview site, alternate format documents, ASL Interpreter, or Assistive Technology) during the recruitment and selection process, please let our Recruitment team know.
Job Segment: Strategic Sourcing, Category Manager, Merchandising, Procurement, Manager, Operations, Retail, Management

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📌 Director, Category Management Practice Lead CoE (Ontario)
🏢 Scotiabank
📍 Ontario