About the role
Organizations everywhere struggle under the crushing costs and complexities of “solutions” that promise to simplify their lives. To create a better experience for their customers and employees. To help them grow. Software is a choice that can make or break a business. Create better or worse experiences. Propel or throttle growth. Business software has become a blocker instead of ways to get work done. There’s another option. Freshworks. With a fresh vision for how the world works. Freshworks Inc. builds uncomplicated service software that delivers exceptional employee and customer experiences. Our people-first approach to AI eliminates friction, helping businesses reduce complexity, lower cost-to-serve, and deliver faster, more human support through enterprise-grade yet easy-to-use CX and IT solutions. Nearly 75,000 companies, including Bridgestone, New Balance, Nucor, S&P Global, and Sony Music, trust Freshworks to power their Employee Experience (EX) and Customer Experience (CX) operations. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us. We are looking for an experienced and driven Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing to lead a team of sourcing category managers within our transforming procurement organization. In this role, you will combine strong leadership skills with hands-on sourcing expertise. You will be responsible for overseeing a team of sourcing experts while also contributing individually to the execution of critical sourcing projects. The ideal candidate is a highly organized individual with a proven track record in procurement, excellent communication skills, and a passion for developing talent. This is a working manager role, so being able to negotiate and execute purchasing deals will be required. Required Skills: Leadership & Team Management: Supervise and mentor a team of sourcing professionals, providing guidance, support, and performance feedback Foster a collaborative and high-performing team environment, promoting teamwork and knowledge sharing Delegate tasks effectively, monitor progress, and ensure team members meet performance expectations (Individual Contribution Goals and SLAs) Identify training and development needs for team members and facilitate their professional growth Contribute to the recruitment and onboarding of new team members. Understand internal procurement processes to provide guidance to team and stakeholders. Partner and collaborate with stakeholder leadership Sourcing Execution: Execute sourcing projects using category-level strategies and established processes Support the creation, review, and negotiation of contracts, ensuring favorable terms and conditions Negotiate with suppliers on pricing, service level agreements, and other key commercial and legal terms to maximize savings and achieve defined goals Conduct risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential supplier-related risks Execute competitive bids to identify the best-value suppliers Manage supplier relationships, while measuring supplier actual performance against negotiated SLA’s and quality metrics. Deep understanding of sourcing and supplier management. Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field 8+ years of experience in procurement or sourcing, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or team lead role Proven track record of successfully managing and developing a team. Proficiency in procurement systems and tools Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills We're committed to building a workplace that reflects the diverse world we serve. At Freshworks, you'll find inclusive teams, flexible thinking, and opportunities to grow your career - while making work better for millions. If this sounds like a journey you want to be part of, we'd love to meet you. Let's building something refreshing together. The annual base salary range for this position is $190,000 - $230,000 Base Salary.