Category Lead
Department: Supply Chain
Reports to: Director of Supply Chain
Position Summary
The Category Lead is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies that deliver cost savings, supply continuity, quality, and innovation across assigned categories. This role partners cross-functionally with sales, engineering, operations, finance, and quality teams to manage supplier relationships, negotiate contracts, and ensure procurement activities align with broader business objectives.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement category sourcing strategies aligned with company goals, market dynamics, and total cost of ownership analysis.
- Lead supplier identification, qualification, RFx processes (RFI, RFP, RFQ), and award decisions for assigned categories.
- Negotiate pricing, terms, service-level agreements, and master purchase agreements with current and prospective suppliers.
- Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, including conducting business reviews, performance scorecards, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Analyze spend data, market trends, commodity indices, and supplier financials to identify cost reduction, consolidation, and risk-mitigation opportunities.
- Manage supplier risk, including supply continuity planning, dual-sourcing strategies, geopolitical exposure, and compliance monitoring.
- Partner with engineering and product teams on new product introduction (NPI), early supplier involvement, and value engineering opportunities.
- Track and report savings, KPIs, and category performance to leadership.
- Resolve supplier disputes, quality issues, delivery escalations, and contract compliance matters.
- Stay current on market intelligence, industry benchmarks, and emerging sourcing technologies.
- Travel 20% of the time for Supplier meetings, Customer sites or industry conferences
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
- 5+ years of progressive procurement, sourcing, or category management experience.
- Demonstrated success leading strategic sourcing events and complex contract negotiations.
- Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Excel, ERP systems (M1 or similar), and e-sourcing tools.
- Solid understanding of contract law fundamentals, INCOTERMS, and procurement compliance.
- Experience in sourcing electrical components including breakers, meters, Kirk Keys, etc.
- Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Masters degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field (equivalent experience considered).
- Professional certification such as CPSM, CIPS, or CPM.
- Familiarity with setting up Kanbans, consignment, safety stock, VMI, etc
Core Competencies
- Strategic thinking and business acumen
- Negotiation and persuasion
- Data-driven decision-making
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Risk management and problem-solving
- Ownership and accountability