Position Title: Category Manager, Plastics
Position Overview:
Lead the strategic development, management, and optimization of a specific supply category, enhancing the company's sourcing and procurement processes. This role involves the creation, implementation, and oversight of global supply strategies to ensure competitive cost, quality, and service delivery.
Key Responsibilities
- Category Strategy: Develop and execute long-term strategies for critical direct materials supporting the company's global manufacturing operations.
- Sourcing Initiatives: Manage RFx processes, evaluate supplier proposals, and lead cross-functional teams in supplier selection based on total value analysis.
- Negotiations: Plan and conduct supplier negotiations addressing pricing, capacity, business terms, and legal agreements.
- Market Insights: Maintain expertise in category trends, including cost drivers, pricing dynamics, supply-demand shifts, lead times, and manufacturing processes.
- Supplier Optimization: Drive alternate sourcing, supplier consolidation, and localization to improve pricing, cycle times, and supply chain resilience.
- Cost Management: Achieve enhanced margins through cost savings initiatives and efficient material sourcing.
- Performance Improvements: Lead efforts to meet key performance targets, including lead time reduction, minimum order quantity optimization, and inventory management.
- Business Case Development: Create ROI-based business cases and effectively present cost-saving initiatives for approval.
- Contract Negotiations: Negotiate business terms such as payment and delivery terms, inventory strategies, lead times, and price reductions with strategic suppliers.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Work with customer-facing, operations, R&D, and quality teams to align supplier strategies with product and customer requirements.
Qualifications
Education:
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or a related field (required).
- MBA (preferred).
Experience:
- 4-8 years of experience in a similar role or a related position within a global manufacturing company (required).
- Experience in the plastics commodity sector
Skills:
- Strong supplier relationship management and negotiation abilities.
- Proficient in executive-level communication and stakeholder engagement in a global environment.
- Excellent analytical, organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks effectively, and work in a continuous improvement environment.
- Skilled in leveraging analytical tools to evaluate options and deliver actionable recommendations.
- Proficiency in relevant PC applications and ability to utilize them effectively.
Certifications (Preferred):
- Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM)
- Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)
- Other relevant procurement/supply chain certifications
