Procurement Manager, Emerging Technology and Digital Innovation

About the role

The International Rescue Committee's Global Procurement, within the Global Supply Chain function, is creating a dedicated Procurement Manager role to cover emerging technology and digital innovation. The role supports fast-moving technology sourcing across IRC, focusing on early-stage digital innovation, pilots, proofs of concept, trials and emerging tools such as AI and generative AI tools, SaaS and digital platforms, automation, data and analytics, cybersecurity tools, collaboration platforms, field and mobile technology, and low-code and no-code platforms. It is an execution-focused, hands-on individual contributor role that keeps procurement discipline, vendor due diligence, risk review, documentation and compliance intact.

Key responsibilities

• Provide hands-on sourcing support for pilots, trials, proofs of concept, small-scale SaaS, emerging vendors and digital innovation requests, following the IT category strategy and the Senior Category Manager, IT.
• Run early market scans, support requirement gathering, supplier identification, RFI/RFQ/RFP preparation, evaluation, award recommendations and contract finalization, and build visibility for innovation vendors.
• Help bring new tools into proper procurement channels and support SaaS rationalization, renewal planning and license optimization.
• Build a lightweight, repeatable procurement pathway for pilots, trials and proofs of concept, with checklists, decision tools, approval checkpoints and escalation criteria.
• Support AI-enabled tools and high-risk technology, coordinating with the AI Governance and Risk Committee and applying AI assessment requirements.
• Coordinate vendor risk assessments and due diligence across cybersecurity, privacy, legal, donor compliance, sanctions screening, financial viability, implementation and integration risks, and ensure procurement files are audit-ready.
• Maintain a list of emerging tools and vendors with status, approved use cases, contract status and renewal timing, and reduce shadow IT and unmanaged spend.
• Negotiate and review commercial terms for NDAs, pilot agreements, SaaS agreements, subscriptions, licenses and renewals, including pricing models and data protection, IP and exit clauses.
• Engage with business teams to turn technical needs into clear scopes, evaluation criteria and vendor questions, and track requests from intake through pilot, decision and possible scale-up.