Abhilasha Thakur
@abhilashathakur
Strategic Sourcing Manager with over 12 years of experience.
IndiaWhat I'm looking for
I am a Strategic Sourcing Manager with over 12 years of experience in IT, Cybersecurity, and SaaS solutions, having worked with renowned companies like Lowes, Meijer, and Ameriprise Financials. My expertise lies in driving strategic sourcing initiatives, negotiating software contracts, and optimizing SaaS purchases. I have successfully executed complex sourcing events and managed supplier relationships, ensuring reliability and value.
Throughout my career, I have led major negotiations and developed strategic sourcing roadmaps that align with business goals. At Ameriprise Financials, I managed a $300 million portfolio, achieving significant savings and reducing risk through robust contracts. My experience with tools like Ariba and Coupa has enabled me to streamline sourcing processes and enhance compliance, ultimately driving cost savings and operational efficiency.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Category Manager Technology
Ameriprise Financials
May 2024 - Present (1 year 3 months)
Led major negotiations with large IT software providers, successfully completing two significant RFPs for Service Integration and Device Leasing programs. Collaborated with legal, risk, and business partners to negotiate both commercial and non-commercial contract terms.
Sourcing Manager / Change Manager for Coupa
Clarivate Analytics
Jul 2023 - Apr 2024 (9 months)
Established and maintained internal and external business relationships to optimize spend portfolio cost and value, developing a 3-year Strategic Sourcing roadmap. Led the standardization of the Sourcing process, creating templates for meetings and vendor interactions.
Strategic Sourcing Manager
Lowes
Nov 2022 - Jun 2023 (7 months)
Managed a $300M portfolio across supply chain, technology, innovation, omnichannel, information security, and online strategy, achieving $5M in savings. Reduced organizational risk through robust contracts with stringent SLAs, collaborating with Risk, Governance, Compliance, and Legal teams.
Strategic Sourcing Specialist
Meijer Retail
Nov 2018 - Mar 2022 (3 years 4 months)
Prepared bid forms, managed the RFx process, analyzed bid results, and facilitated business decisions to award contracts. Achieved a 30% reduction in sourcing event turnaround time using SAP Ariba for Contract Management, Sourcing, and Spend analysis.
Assistant Manager – IT Supply Chain, Procurement
Deloitte Consulting
Jul 2008 - Jun 2012 (3 years 11 months)
Led multiple workshops at a Germany plant with end users for business process reengineering and SAP best practices implementation. Acted as a liaison between IT and Business Stakeholders, maintaining Supply Chain KPIs at agreed SOP levels.
Sr. Consultant – Supply chain
SAP
Apr 2008 - Jun 2008 (2 months)
Created a knowledge repository for Supply Chain Excellence, analyzing and benchmarking various Supply Chain Processes. Identified process inefficiencies across different industries including Manufacturing, Retail, and Consumer Goods.
Consultant – Supplier Network Collaboration
IBM Consulting
Jun 2005 - Mar 2008 (2 years 9 months)
Led ASAP methodology for a technology-enabled business transformation and managed project risk. Maintained SLAs for raised issues, gathered requirements, and scripted Functional Requirement Specifications.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Indian Institute of Management - IIM
Master of Business Administration (MBA), Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management
Focused on Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management. Gained expertise in strategic sourcing, procurement, and supply chain optimization.
Government Engineering College
Bachelor of Technology, Mechanical Engineering
Grade: Gold Medalist
Completed a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering, graduating as a Gold Medalist. Developed a strong foundation in engineering principles and problem-solving.
Availability
Location
IndiaAuthorized to work in
Job categories
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