Category Manager

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Sourcing activities of one or more categories of technical or complex materials or services.
Independent decision making is required while performing typical job duties.
Manages material or service categories within and across business units with consideration of total process life cycle costs, business unit needs, company goals, and risk profiles.
Establish master material and service agreements (blanket contracts) and support special projects as well as complex sourcing initiatives.
Participate in periodic special project initiatives.
Accountable for category purchases (including tactical); become involved on an as needed bases to resolve emergent issues. Maintain and own the position of primary contact for the resolution of systemic/recurring supplier/customer issues.
Develop close working relationships with supplier and end customers.
Monitor supplier performance to ensure that contract terms and conditions are being met or exceeded and performance meets customer expectations.
Manage and/or support supplier alliance process and own/manage all supplier relationships.
Lead and/or support all supplier relationship development programs and supplier alliance periodic meetings.
Manage categories and provide oversight and governance of associated purchases; perform category spend and risk analysis; and design and implement category and supplier risk mitigation strategies.
Provide direction to contract administrators, procurement and sourcing specialists and other supply personnel, as appropriate, within assigned business and spend categories.
Identify and implement sourcing and category management best practices.
Lead personnel to achieve objectives across related categories and/or across multiple sourcing initiatives.
Prioritize competing needs and assign tasks to support strategic sourcing initiatives and other supply projects, as appropriate. Identify and manage category risks; and align category profiles with business unit needs, company direction and goals.

SKILLS:

QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor's Degree in business, engineering, science or related field with a minimum of 5 years' experience or High School diploma or equivalent, with 9 years of experience.
Demonstrated project and change management skills.
Demonstrated knowledge of category and supply management concepts; services category management experience is preferred, not materials.
Adept and persuasive communicator (verbal, written).
Cross functional/organizational team management and facilitation skills (internal and external).
Demonstrated data analysis capability.
Demonstrated negotiation skills.
Ability to hold suppliers accountable for performance.
Conflict management experience.
Technical aptitude (category specific requirement)
Possible travel across sites, supplier locations and business units; as business needs dictate