Senior Manager - Category Management

Role Overview

This role, offered through a partner company, seeks a Senior Manager in Category Management based in the United States to lead strategic procurement efforts focused on maximizing organizational value, enhancing supplier relations, and boosting operational efficiency. This position involves overseeing category strategies, sourcing activities, and supplier performance management across critical business segments.

Key Responsibilities

• Formulate and implement category management and strategic sourcing plans for assigned categories such as enterprise software and technology solutions.
• Collaborate with procurement leadership to develop category strategies aligned with business objectives and operational needs.
• Function as a trusted advisor by creating sourcing strategies that enhance value, mitigate risk, and foster business growth.
• Deliver sourcing proposals, supplier strategies, and business cases to senior executives and leadership teams.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the category management team through coaching, performance evaluations, and career advancement efforts.
• Utilize market insights, procurement best practices, and data analytics to refine supplier relationships and sourcing decisions.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities, improve supplier performance, increase process efficiency, and enhance overall business value.
• Assist with budgeting and financial planning while vigilantly managing category spending.
• Track supplier performance metrics, detect areas for improvement, and execute corrective measures.
• Manage supplier negotiations, contract renewals, and strategic agreements in partnership with business and legal teams.
• Establish and maintain strong supplier partnerships that promote innovation and service enhancements.
• Encourage consistent procurement procedures, governance standards, and organizational knowledge sharing.
• Ensure adherence to procurement policies, risk controls, and company standards.
• Assume leadership responsibilities including workforce planning, recruitment, coaching, employee development, and performance management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or a comparable discipline.
• Advanced degrees or certifications like CPSM, CPSD, PMP preferred.
• Seven to ten years of progressive experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management.
• Minimum of three years managing and leading procurement teams.
• Demonstrated track record in managing category strategies and sourcing initiatives that deliver measurable benefits.
• Proficiency in supplier negotiations, contract administration, cost analysis, and market research.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret complex data and market intelligence for opportunity identification and risk management.
• Excellent relationship management skills with stakeholders at all levels, suppliers, and executives.
• Experience coaching procurement professionals and fostering high-performance teams.
• Familiarity with procurement technologies such as Coupa, sourcing platforms, contract lifecycle management, reporting tools, and spend analytics.
• Strong communication, project management, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Capability to function effectively in a remote, internationally dispersed work environment.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary ranging approximately from $130,000 to $145,000 annually, with additional variable compensation available in select locations.
• Flexible working arrangements including remote, hybrid, or onsite based on location needs.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits effective from the first day of employment.
• Annual wellness stipend to promote employee health initiatives.
• 401(k) retirement plan offering up to 4% employer matching with immediate vesting.
• Generous and flexible paid time off policies.
• Employee stock purchase plan available.
• Opportunity to collaborate with globally distributed teams across various regions.
• Prospects for professional growth within an innovative and cooperative environment.

Additional Information

The application process is managed by the partner company, which utilizes AI-powered tools to objectively and promptly assess candidates against the core role requirements. While AI supports initial screening, final hiring decisions are made by human recruiters. This role involves data processing compliant with data protection laws including GDPR. Applicants have rights to access, amend, erase, or object to their personal data usage at any time.