(Senior) Category Manager IT & Software (m/f/d)

1KOMMA5°

At 1KOMMA5° , we pursue a clear vision: Living on wind and sunlight forever for free . To make this a reality, we are building the energy system of the future with Heartbeat AI. Want to be part of it?
We bring together regional craftsmanship and scalable software: We don't think of solar, batteries, heat pumps, and e-mobility as isolated components, but control them as an intelligent, integrated overall system in our virtual power plant. Directly connected to the electricity market – in real time, fully automated. This way, energy is used when it is available from renewables and particularly cost-effective. By 2030, our goal is to transition 1.5 million households to renewable energies. Over 3,000 people are working towards this every day, at more than 80 locations worldwide, from Finland to Australia.

Your mission

As a (Senior) Category Manager IT & Software , you own the strategic procurement of 1KOMMA5°'s entire IT landscape — from SaaS and licences to hardware and IT services. You do not think in individual orders; you think in volume. You consolidate, bundle, and negotiate so that every euro counts. You go beyond the traditional procurement role — actively challenging the existing software and hardware landscape, identifying redundancies, and driving consolidation initiatives. At the same time, you guide new requirements through a structured process from market screening to contract award. You work closely with business units across the company — as a strategic partner, but also as a critical sparring partner who questions needs and presents alternatives.

• End-to-end responsibility for the SaaS, licences, hardware, and IT services categories
• Development and execution of a clear category strategy focused on volume consolidation, cost reduction, and sustainable supplier relationships
• Execution of RFQ/RFP processes, recurring negotiations, and complex price negotiations with IT vendors and software providers
• Management and development of existing supplier relationships with a focus on contract quality and cost optimisation

• Consolidation of software landscapes: identifying redundancies, overlaps, and consolidation potential across business units
• Development and execution of ambitious cost-down initiatives through volume bundling and contract optimisation
• Building structured forecasting for licence and hardware volumes to proactively manage demand and contract cycles
• Negotiation of enterprise agreements and framework contracts with strategic IT suppliers

• Close collaboration with business units as a strategic partner and critical sparring partner
• Actively challenging existing software and hardware needs: Why does a solution exist? Are there alternatives? Can multiple tools be replaced by one?
• Guiding new requirements from structured market screening through to contract award — including vendor evaluation and comparison
• Promoting a cross-functional awareness of cost and efficiency in the use of IT resources

• KPI-based steering and data-driven reporting across all managed categories
• Standardisation of workflows in ERP and procurement systems
• Active knowledge sharing and promotion of best practices within the team

Your profile

• Degree in Business Informatics, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a comparable field — ideally with a technical or IT-related focus
• Several years of experience in strategic indirect procurement of IT hardware and software
• Strong understanding of SaaS models, licence structures, hardware procurement, and IT service contracts
• Experience conducting RFQ/RFP processes, recurring negotiations, and structuring enterprise agreements and framework contracts
• Proven track record in volume consolidation and delivering cost-down initiatives
• Strong ability to critically challenge requirements and evaluate alternatives in a structured way
• Highly analytical and data-driven, with a solid understanding of cost structures and contract models
• Confident communicator, persuasive with both business stakeholders and external suppliers at all levels
• Fluent in English

Benefits

• You are part of an international, dynamic, and highly motivated team of people who have proven to make things happen
• With your work, you accelerate the "energy transition" and hence have a direct impact on our climate
• Work with and learn from other super-smart colleagues
• You will enjoy direct contact with core decision-makers
• You work remotely (Germany-wide), with offices in Hamburg, Berlin, or Munich
• Create a healthy balance alongside your work and enjoy all the benefits of the EGYM Wellpass
• Benefits and discounts are yours with Futurebens
• Whether city bike or e-bike - be flexible with our job bike leasing and do something good for the environment at the same time

About us

"At 1KOMMA5°, our vision is to accelerate CO2 neutral life for all! We created an easy one-stop-shop to buy and install solar, charging stations and heat pumps, with the purpose of liberating all European homes from the shackles of fossil fuels. With Heartbeat, we make clean energy smarter. Connecting our customers into one powerful clean energy operating system to enable flexible tariffs and to ultimately follow the rhythm of wind and sun!" - Philipp Schröder (CEO 1KOMMA5°)