Category Manager - Indirect

As an Indirect Category Manager your goal is to lead a set of commodities in the development and implementation of indirect strategic sourcing activities across the enterprise. You'll execute the indirect strategic sourcing process for assigned commodities by data gathering, identifying suppliers, quote preparation, supplier qualification, and gap analysis to make robust decisions regarding supplier selection and sourcing needs. In addition, you'll develop indirect commodity sourcing strategies, be responsible for managing supplier relationships and performance, and lead cost reduction for assigned commodities. #LI-MD1 #LI-Hybrid

You will do this by:

• Evaluating broad purchasing practices, quotes and reviews cost/price and value analysis to select, reviews alternative suppliers
• Building and managing high level supplier relationships: communicating supplier performance & gaps to goals, and outlining improvement to ensure business objectives are met
• Ensuring supplier training for relevant processes and procedures
• Establishing and managing strategic sourcing goals and metrics for cost reduction, supplier performance, and sourcing decisions
• Researching and evaluating the benefits of contracts, open-market purchases and out-sourcing
• Negotiating, writing and verifying legal issues of supply agreements
• Recommending and implementing changes in processes or procedures for assigned areas
• Defining, resolving, and providing permanent solutions to systemic supplier performance issues
• Leading continuous cost reduction / value improvement activity by developing and executing projects, competitively quoting, conducting negotiations, and developing/executing cost models
• Developing and implementing communication plans to key stakeholders

The above statements are intended only to describe the general nature of the job and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of position responsibilities.

You are the kind of person who is/has:

• Able to build cross functional relationships and partnerships
• Collaborative
• Detail oriented and able to work independently as needed

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management or related field OR equivalent experience and education
• Minimum five years of experience in purchasing or related field
• Proficiency in MS Excel and/or Google Sheets
• Proficiency in ERP, sourcing and invoicing software
• Project management experience
• Experience at a corporate level overseeing multiple plants/sites preferred
• Comprehensive knowledge of strategic sourcing and supply strategies, purchasing function concepts and of supplier commodity processes and practices
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for report writing, presentations and interactions with diverse groups of people inside and outside of the corporation
• Ability to work in a team environment and to build and manage business relationships
• Ability to lead sophisticated partnership arrangements
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and component applications, Statistical Process Control and other significant quality management techniques
• Ability to travel up domestically up to 10% as needed
• Fluent in English and primary language used in area of responsibility and/or location

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.