Job Details
Basic Purpose:
The Category Manager (CM) is responsible for the management of Tate's logistics and packaging suppliers as well as all required contract/order execution in support of four domestic manufacturing facilities. The CM will lead, support the development, implementation, and management of strategies to provide the company with optimal supply assurance, pricing, flexibility, quality, and delivery performance. The CM benchmarks new processes, approaches, and technology that will continually drive improvements in performance and business results. The CM identifies and analyzes current and emerging procurement trends, develops a deep understanding of market conditions, and proposes supply chain solutions focusing on total cost of ownership. The CM negotiates major agreements which include pricing, terms and conditions, risk mitigations, and warranties in support of those agreements and is the primary supplier relationship owner. The CM builds and leverages strong working relationships with internal customers and key suppliers to assure cost, quality, and delivery targets are met. Working closely with cross-departmentally team members, the CM will communicate and implement strategies, contracts, and pricing with an overall focus on maintaining good supplier relationships and the total costs of ownership to a minimum to achieve maximum advantage for the company and its customers.
Responsibilities:
- Addresses all areas of category management pertaining to logistics and packaging including category business plans, market and pricing analysis, and procurement execution.
- Contributes to the development of the company's strategic objectives and goals.
- Develops Category strategies with defined plans for cost savings, risk assessment and mitigation and service level agreements.
- Leads in the development and execution of category negotiation strategies with suppliers, including specific targets for pricing, service, quality, intellectual property, and inventory.
- Monitors current Category market conditions, technology roadmaps and identifies supply/demand challenges and opportunities.
- Develops subject matter expertise in assigned commodities through external research, benchmarking and analyzing cost drivers and life cycle costs. Provides market intelligence and category price trends. Develops a deep understanding of where our competition sources their components and materials, as well as determining the respective costs of same.
- Recognized as the Center of knowledge for respective category areas and shares this information with key stakeholders to enable more effective planning, forecasting, and execution.
- Develops and maintains should-cost models that are relevant to the global marketplace.
- Utilizes strategic sourcing process to manage assigned commodities and finished products for multiple domestic locations and builds cases for significant change and develop consensus among key stakeholders.
- Provides rigorous analysis of spend data and market trends and dynamics to prioritize and launch sourcing initiatives within designated spend/Category categories.
- Analyzes current spend and evaluates current suppliers. Consolidates spend across multiple manufacturing locations to create leverage, analyzes purchasing trends, and develops sourcing alternatives. Identifies new high potential suppliers as required.
- Delivers year over year net cost reductions for commodities and programs that fall within assigned responsibility.
- Manages respective supplier relationships and performance, including but not limited to dispute resolution.
- Develops key performance measures for suppliers and negotiates on multiple variables to award strategic contracts that result in significant cost reduction and improved service levels.
- Supports new product introduction (NPI) programs as Program Manager by coordinating all sourcing and supplier qualification activities as well as the execution of said strategies.
- Manages multiple projects; coordinates activities of team and track progress/schedules.
- Monitors current category market conditions, technology roadmaps and identifies supply/demand challenges and opportunities.
- Participates in special projects as the Supply Chain representative as needed.
- Maintains awareness of individual contribution to and impact of the quality, safety, environmental, and product compliance policies and activities; reports all quality issues, unsafe acts, and unsafe conditions to the proper personnel.
Qualifications: - Bachelor degree in business, Finance, Engineering, or Supply Chain Management from an accredited college or university is required.
- Minimum of 4 years of relevant, progressive strategic sourcing, category management, procurement, or equivalent work experience.
- Demonstrated knowledge of strategic sourcing processes and tools and their application in restructuring purchases of a multi-plant manufacturing business.
- Track record of delivering significant cost reduction and service level improvements.
- Expertise in negotiation of contracts with safeguards against identified risks.
- Ability to identify key performance measures and evaluate alternatives.
- Demonstrated ability to build and lead teams attaining cross-functional consensus.
- Excellent communication skills at all levels clearly articulating positions with clarity.
- Ability to work with key stakeholders in multiple locations and at various levels.
- Strong analytical problem-solving abilities using contemporary tools and methods.
- Willing to travel up to 25%.