Category Manager – Security & Electronic Systems

Overview

About M.C. Dean

M.C. Dean is Building Intelligence. We design, build, operate, and maintain cyber-physical solutions for the nation’s most mission-critical facilities, secure environments, complex infrastructure, and global enterprises. With over 9,000 employees, our capabilities span electrical, electronic security, telecommunications, life safety, automation and controls, audiovisual, and IT systems. Headquarters in Tysons, Virginia, M.C. Dean delivers resilient, secure, and innovative power and technology solutions through engineering expertise and smart systems integration.

Why Join Us?

Our people are passionate about engineering innovation that improves lives and drives impactful change. Guided by our core values—agility, expertise, and trust—we foster a collaborative and forward-thinking work environment. At M.C. Dean, we are committed to building the next generation of technical leaders in electrical, engineering, and cybersecurity industries.

Responsibilities

The Category Manager – Security & Electronic Systems is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategy for the turnkey systems, software, equipment, and devices that support M.C. Dean's Security & Electronic Systems (SES) business line. This includes access control, video surveillance/CCTV, intrusion detection, fire alarm and life-safety systems, structured cabling, audiovisual, software/licensing, and related low-voltage electronic systems and turnkey solutions. The role owns supplier selection, negotiation, and performance management for the category, and works closely with Estimating, Project Operations, Legal, and Risk Management to ensure supply continuity, cost competitiveness, and contractual/compliance alignment across federal, DoD, and commercial mission-critical projects.

Category Scope

Categories are aligned to the CSI-based taxonomy used across the SES business unit and may include one or more of the following: Access Control & Intrusion Detection; Video Surveillance; Data Communications Network Equipment; Data Communications Hardware; Audio-Video Systems; Cable/Cabling & Terminations; and Battery/Power Equipment.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Market Intelligence

• Develop and own the category strategy for turnkey systems, software, equipment, devices, and subcontracted trade services within SES, including make-vs-buy analysis and total cost of ownership modeling.

• Conduct ongoing market research on suppliers, emerging technologies, and pricing trends to inform category strategy and maintain a competitive supplier base.

• Identify and correct manufacturer/supplier concentration risk within the category and build qualified alternates into the category plan.

Supplier & Contract Negotiation

• Lead supplier identification, qualification, and prequalification for OEMs, software/technology vendors, and subcontractors within the category, in coordination with Risk Management's subcontractor default/SDI framework.

• Negotiate master/enterprise pricing agreements, rebate structures, and volume commitments with OEMs, distributors, and software/licensing vendors, so that individual purchase orders are executed against pre-negotiated terms rather than renegotiated case by case.

• Manage vendor performance scorecards covering cost, quality, on-time delivery, and compliance; drive corrective action plans with underperforming suppliers.

• Partner with Estimating and Business Development during proposal development to validate category pricing, availability, and subcontractor/vendor teaming for pursuits.

• Structure commercial enterprise terms (rebates, price protection, ship-and-debit) for large commercial customers, keeping federal and commercial agreement terms cleanly segregated where required.

Compliance & Risk

• Ensure category sourcing decisions and supplier agreements satisfy FAR/DFARS flow-down requirements, and support CPSR audit readiness through complete purchase order file documentation, price/cost analysis records, and sole-source justifications.

• Apply certified cost/pricing data and price reasonableness analysis on federal buys exceeding applicable thresholds.

• Monitor supply chain risk for the category, including single-source exposure, NDAA/Section 889, Buy America(n)/TAA compliance, and ITAR/EAR export control screening; maintain dual-source and contingency plans for categories supporting mission-critical federal delivery schedules.

• Support the category's contribution to the small business subcontracting plan, identifying and qualifying small, veteran-owned, and disadvantaged suppliers where the category and contract vehicle require it.

Engineering & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with SES Engineering during design/BOM development, before designs lock, to steer specifications toward strategically sourced, multi-sourced, or lower-total-cost parts.

• Support contract structuring on category purchase orders and subcontracts, including flow-down of prime contract terms, bonding/insurance requirements, and pay-if-paid/pay-when-paid provisions in coordination with Legal.

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain supply chain documentation for the category, including sourcing files, supplier agreements, compliance records, and audit trails.

• Track category-level spend analytics, including cost savings/avoidance vs. baseline, purchase price variance (PPV), and maverick spend outside negotiated agreements.

• Produce a monthly category out-brief report to Procurement and SES leadership summarizing spend, savings/cost-avoidance, supplier performance, compliance status, and risk items.

• Evaluate and onboard new suppliers and technologies (e.g., emerging access control, cybersecurity-hardened OT devices) to strengthen the category's competitive position.

• Support sourcing system initiatives (e.g., BuildingConnected/Procore-based subcontractor sourcing) relevant to the category.

Key Performance Indicators

• Cost savings and cost avoidance vs. category baseline (negotiated agreement value realized).

• Contract/agreement compliance rate (% of category spend on negotiated agreements vs. maverick/off-contract spend).

• Supplier on-time delivery and quality performance for the category.

• CPSR audit findings related to the category (target: zero material findings).

• Small business subcontracting attainment vs. plan (federal categories).

• Percentage of category spend under active strategy/agreement coverage

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or related field; equivalent experience considered in lieu of degree.

• 8+ years of category management, strategic sourcing, or procurement experience, with direct exposure to security, electronic systems, low-voltage, or related electrical/construction commodities with a Bachelor's.

• Working knowledge of construction subcontract and purchase order structures (AIA and/or equivalent), including bonding, insurance, and lien-related provisions.

• Working knowledge of FAR/DFARS flow-down requirements and CPSR documentation expectations.

• Demonstrated supplier negotiation experience with measurable cost savings or cost-avoidance outcomes.

• Strong analytical skills, including spend analysis and total cost of ownership modeling in Excel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience procuring for federal, DoD, or mission-critical/data center projects.

• Familiarity with access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, fire/life-safety product lines, or associated software/licensing models.

• Experience sourcing turnkey systems integration services alongside hardware and software components.

• Working knowledge of ITAR/EAR export control screening as applied to sourced hardware.

• Experience supporting small business subcontracting plan attainment on federal contracts.

• Exposure to subcontractor default insurance (SDI) programs or subcontractor risk/prequalification frameworks.

• Experience with ERP/procurement systems (e.g., InfraLink, Purchasing Online, or equivalent) and sourcing platforms (BuildingConnected, Procore).

• CPSM, CPSD, CPM, NCMA, or similar supply chain/contracts certification.

Working Conditions

• Full-time, on-site position based in Tysons, VA; not eligible for remote or hybrid work.

• Occasional travel (up to 15–20%) to manufacturing/warehouse facilities, job sites, and supplier locations.

• Some jobsite visits may require adherence to safety protocols and site-specific PPE requirements.

We offer an excellent benefits package including:

• A competitive salary

• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance

• Paid time off

• Tuition reimbursement

• 401k Retirement Plan

• Military Reserve pay offset

• Paid maternity leave

Abilities:

• Exposure to computer screens for an extended period of time.

• Sitting for extended periods of time.

• Reach by extending hands or arms in any direction.

• Have finger dexterity in order to manipulate objects with fingers rather than whole hands or arms, for example, using a keyboard.

• Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

• Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

• Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

• Identify and understand the speech of another person.

Pay Range

USD $135,360.00 - USD $169,200.00 /Yr.