Head of Sourcing - Indirect Spend

UL Solutions is seeking a senior leader to build and lead our indirect sourcing strategy across enterprise services and technology. This role is central to shifting the organization from reactive procurement to a disciplined, category-led model that shapes demand, drives enterprise alignment, and delivers measurable value. This position focuses on enterprise services and technology spend outside of the lab production ecosystem. While direct sourcing supports lab equipment and consumables tied to revenue generation, this role owns the broader enterprise categories that enable the business to operate and scale. The Head of Category Strategy will define how sourcing engages the business, influence decisions upstream, and establish a structured, scalable approach to category management globally. UL Solutions is seeking a senior leader to build and lead our indirect sourcing strategy across enterprise services and technology. This role is central to shifting the organization from reactive procurement to a disciplined, category-led model that shapes demand, drives enterprise alignment, and delivers measurable value. This position focuses on enterprise services and technology spend outside of the lab production ecosystem. While direct sourcing supports lab equipment and consumables tied to revenue generation, this role owns the broader enterprise categories that enable the business to operate and scale. The Head of Category Strategy will define how sourcing engages the business, influence decisions upstream, and establish a structured, scalable approach to category management globally. **This is a full-time, hybrid (3 days in office) position located at our Northbrook, IL or Chicago, IL office.** ### Responsibilities **Scope of Responsibility** - Information Technology and Software (direct ownership) - Contingent Workforce and Consulting - Marketing, Finance, and Professional Services - HR and Corporate Services *Excludes lab equipment and consumables managed by the direct sourcing team.* **What You Will Own** **1. Category Strategy and Value Creation** - Develop and implement category strategies across major indirect spend areas - Establish preferred supplier models and structured commercial frameworks - Drive supplier consolidation and stronger strategic partnerships **2. Demand Shaping and Business Engagement** - Engage early with business and functional leaders to translate needs into structured options - Shift sourcing upstream from transaction execution to decision enablement - Bring transparency to tradeoffs across cost, speed, and strategic fit **3. Operating Model and Governance** - Build a consistent, end-to-end sourcing approach from intake through contracting - Standardize processes, templates, and governance to reduce fragmentation - Drive portfolio-level prioritization across competing investments **4. Strategic Execution** - Personally lead complex IT sourcing initiatives and critical negotiations - Elevate the quality and consistency of commercial outcomes - Ensure disciplined decision making in partnership with Finance, IT, and Legal **5. Team Leadership and Capability Build** - Lead and develop a team of category leaders across indirect spend - Clarify roles between strategy and execution to improve speed and accountability - Build long-term capability, including future IT category leadership **Transformation Mandate** - Move the organization from request-based sourcing to category-led planning - Replace fragmented supplier usage with structured, scalable ecosystems - Improve sourcing cycle time, predictability, and compliance - Introduce portfolio thinking into capital and commercial decision making - Create a sourcing function that is seen as a strategic partner, not a gatekeeper **What Success Looks Like** - Category strategies are in place and actively guiding decisions across major spend areas - Increased spend under management and reduced supplier fragmentation - Faster, more predictable sourcing cycles with…