About Fairfield If you’re driven and looking for a collaborative workplace that makes a difference, you just might be a fit for Fairfield! We are a leader in the multifamily housing industry and we’re passionate about creating exceptional apartment living. As we continue to grow, we’re dedicated to investing in our people. Our culture is built on trust, support, and the drive to do great work. Here you’ll find opportunities to make an impact, develop your skills, and be part of something bigger. Come build your future with us!
About the Role As Senior Category Manager, you’ll join Fairfield’s growing Procurement function with meaningful ownership over how category management takes shape. You’ll be one of the company’s lead negotiators across construction materials, finishes, renovation and recurring property services, nationally and regionally, owning categories from market analysis and sourcing strategy through contracting, supplier performance and renewal.
This role is for someone who wants the challenge: a competitive, resilient negotiator who is energized by hard problems, is not afraid of hard work, and knows how to turn a negotiation into a result. If you want your work to be visible and measured, this is the seat.
Reports to: Director of Procurement
Location: Remote, Eastern or Central Time Zone. While the posting lists specific cities, candidates throughout these time zones are encouraged to apply, provided they reside in a state where the company is established to employ remote associates.
Travel: Occasional travel may be required based on business needs, including visits to suppliers, job sites, and properties throughout the U.S.
What You’ll Do Below is a snapshot of what this role is all about. While there is more to it, this is the core focus.
Lead Category Strategy
- Build category strategies from spend, specifications and market evidence.
- Assess value through savings and cost avoidance, leverage, efficiency, risk, spend visibility and capability.
- Partner with operating teams on new products, value engineering, priorities and sourcing sequence.
- Manage contract terms and renewal calendars.
Own Negotiations & Sourcing
- Negotiate directly with manufacturers, distributors, installers and service providers.
- Select the right commercial model for each scope, including negotiated price, direct buy or rebate.
- Build rebate and value-back programs, cleared by Legal and Compliance.
- Lead strategic, tactical, operational and global sourcing based on the value at stake.
- Keep national and regional negotiations moving continuously.
Build Strong Supplier Strategies
- Maintain qualified, insured and credentialed supplier bases and bid lists.
- Drive supplier capability, performance and continuous improvement.
- Manage supply risk through dual sourcing, long-lead planning and continuity.
- Lead supplier mobilization, transition, performance monitoring and exit.
Apply Technology & Build Capability
- Use AI and agents for research, should-cost analysis, negotiation preparation and contract review.
- Improve how your categories are bought, with the operating teams, putting technology on the repetitive work.
- Build templates, standards and playbooks others can follow.
- Mentor colleagues and potentially lead a small team while remaining actively involved in negotiations.
How We Work
- One team with the business units. Their results are our results, and ours are theirs.
- Fast and effective. A focused team that puts technology to work to reach the best result.
- Ownership. You own your categories end to end, and the results that come with them.
- Results that stand up. Every result is measured and validated with Finance.
- Always improving. Every negotiation teaches something, and we share what works.
Why You’ll Love Fairfield We’re all about creating communities that people are proud to call home. Being a part of Fairfield means more than a rewarding career with personal growth. It’s a partnership, working alongside colleagues in an open-dialogue environment that encourages growth and the sharing of ideas. We know that our associates are a key ingredient in our success, and we’re proud to reflect that in our culture.
- Driven by Vision: We are a vertically integrated operator and investment manager in the multifamily sector with in-house development, construction, acquisition, and property and asset management services. As we continue to grow, we want you to grow with us.
- Career Growth & Learning: Fairfield values new ideas at every level. We offer training, coaching, and mentoring to help associates develop their careers and inspire them to create change for the better.
- Culture of Collaboration: Enjoy a professional, supportive environment where we work together to drive meaningful impact.
- A Company that Cares: We are proud to offer robust benefit packages with a focus on both quality of care and affordability. We offer competitive compensation plans, 401(k) matching, and paid time off, including sick days and volunteer time off (VTO) to support causes that matter to you.
What We’re Looking For
Education & Certifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Finance, Construction Management, Economics, or a related field, or equivalent combination of relevant education and progressively responsible procurement experience.
- CPSM, CIPS or CSCP certification preferred
Experience
- 8 or more years in procurement, most of it hands-on sourcing
- Experienced negotiator with proven results
- Category management, strategic sourcing and procurement best practices
- Strategic, tactical, operational and global sourcing
- Supplier development: capability and performance, not only price
- Tech-savvy, with hands-on analytical skills and experience using AI and agents to work faster and better
- Holistic view of value: savings, leverage, speed, risk, visibility and capability, not price alone
- Knowledge of and experience with national and regional agreements, including rebates
- Contract literacy and contract management experience
- Multifamily, homebuilding, construction or property management experience preferred
- Experience leading or mentoring a small team preferred
Skills & Competencies
- Strategic Category Management: Translates spend, business requirements and supply-market information into category strategies that guide sourcing priorities, negotiations, contracting, supplier management and renewals.
- Advanced Negotiation: Prepares for and leads complex supplier negotiations using market data, cost drivers, leverage, alternatives and planned concessions to achieve favorable pricing, terms, service levels and business outcomes.
- Strategic Sourcing: Selects and executes the appropriate sourcing approach for each category or business need, including competitive sourcing, direct negotiation, national and regional agreements, direct-buy arrangements and rebate programs.
- Commercial & Financial Acumen: Evaluates supplier proposals based on total value rather than price alone, considering cost savings and avoidance, rebates, operational efficiency, risk, service, contract terms and long-term business impact.
- Supplier Management & Development: Establishes supplier expectations, monitors performance and works with suppliers to improve cost, quality, service, responsiveness and capability while addressing performance problems when they occur.
- Supply Risk Management: Identifies potential supply interruptions, capacity limitations, long-lead items and supplier dependencies and develops practical mitigation strategies such as alternative or dual sources and continuity plans.
- Contract Management: Understands commercial agreements and ensures negotiated pricing, terms, rebates, service requirements, supplier obligations and renewal dates are effectively documented, implemented and managed throughout the contract lifecycle.
- Data, Technology & AI Acumen: Uses procurement data, analytics, Power BI, Fabric, Microsoft Copilot and AI-enabled tools to analyze spend and markets, prepare negotiations, evaluate costs and contracts, automate repetitive work and support well-informed decisions.
- Stakeholder Partnership & Influence: Works effectively with operating teams and other business partners to understand requirements, establish priorities, evaluate alternatives and gain alignment on sourcing and category decisions.
- Leadership & Continuous Improvement: Shares procurement expertise, mentors colleagues and develops practical standards, templates and playbooks that make sourcing and category-management practices more consistent, efficient and repeatable.
Key Success / Performance Indicators
- Delivers measurable procurement value across assigned categories through competitive sourcing, negotiation, value engineering, demand management, rebates and other commercial strategies. Results are documented using an established baseline and validated with Finance.
- Increases the percentage of addressable category spend governed by an approved sourcing strategy, competitively sourced agreement, negotiated program or other defined procurement approach, with progress measured against the addressable spend within assigned categories.
- Maintains effective commercial coverage for assigned categories by proactively managing agreements, pricing structures, rebates, service levels, supplier obligations and renewals. Minimizes avoidable contract expirations, unmanaged renewals and value leakage.
- Maintains a qualified and capable supplier base and actively manages supplier performance against established expectations for cost, quality, service, responsiveness, compliance and continuity. Identifies material supply risks and implements appropriate mitigation, including dual sourcing and long-lead planning where warranted.
- Executes national and regional sourcing and negotiation initiatives according to agreed category priorities and demonstrates measurable improvement in total value, commercial terms, service, risk or operating efficiency. Negotiated outcomes are documented and tracked through implementation rather than measured only when an agreement is signed.
- Maintains current, evidence-based strategies for assigned categories using spend data, specifications, stakeholder requirements, supplier capabilities and supply-market intelligence. Converts those strategies into prioritized sourcing, negotiation, supplier-development and value-engineering actions and regularly updates them as business or market conditions change.
Join Our Team! Ready to make an impact? Apply today!
Estimated Rate of Pay:
$130,000.00 - $160,000.00 This position is exempt; the range above reflects annual salary.
The pay range displayed for this position is determined by skills and experience required, location and job complexity*. Potential job offers may vary based on the skills, education, and experience an individual candidate holds. This range reflects base rate only, and does not include allowances, perks, commissions or bonuses applicable to this position (if any). In addition to base salary, Fairfield offers all full time associates the following, upon meeting eligibility requirements:
- Paid time off, paid holidays and sick days, paid time off for volunteering activities (optional)
- Matched 401(k)
- Medical, dental & vision insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Life insurance
- Pay range is a calculation based on a midpoint price. Fairfield complies with all wage and hour laws, including minimum wage and salary exempt requirements.