Category Manager

Gateway Recruiting

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

JOB DETAILS
SKILLS
Bidding, Budgeting, Business Administration, Business Growth, Candidate Sourcing, Category Development, Category Management, Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), Competitive Analysis/Strategy, Continuous Improvement, Contract Negotiation, Contract Processing, Cost Analysis, Cost Control, Cross-Functional, Detail Oriented, Electronics, Environmental Compliance, Financial Operations, Maintain Compliance, Market Analysis, Microsoft Office, Organizational Skills, Performance Management, Procurement Strategy, Purchasing/Procurement, Quality Management, Regulatory Compliance, Relationship Management, Research & Development (R&D), Risk Analysis, Risk Management, Scorecarding, Sourcing Strategy, Supplier Relationship Management (SRM), Supply Chain, Supply Chain Operations, Sustainability, Total Cost of Ownership, Trend Analysis, Vendor/Supplier Evaluation, Vendor/Supplier Planning, Vendor/Supplier Relations, Vendor/Supplier Selection, Vendor/Supplier Sourcing, Willing to Travel
LOCATION
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
POSTED
1 day ago

The Opportunity:

This role will need a dynamic and strategic procurement professional to lead Electronics Category Management and will be responsible for developing and executing global sourcing strategies; driving value by reducing total cost; mitigating supply risks; improving quality and leading continuous improvement initiatives.

Key responsibilities include supplier identification and qualification, competitive bidding, total cost analysis, market intelligence, supplier consolidation, and supplier relationship management. This role also ensures contract compliance and partners with stakeholders to track and improve supplier performance.

 

Responsibilities:

  • Build and manage relationships with stakeholders (R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, and corporate procurement) and suppliers
  • Typically involved in large and/or more complex purchases and suppliers that have higher impact on the organization’s products, processes and budget.
  • Develop and implement category and supplier strategies aligned to business growth and margin goals
  • Provide market intelligence to inform sourcing and category strategy
  • Lead sourcing and supplier selection processes and negotiate contracts
  • Analyze total cost of ownership (TCO) and drive cost-saving initiatives
  • Conduct market analysis to identify trends, risks, and opportunities; Identify and mitigate supply chain risks (geopolitical, financial, operational)
  • Develop contingency and dual sourcing strategies for critical components
  • Lead supplier relationship management to improve quality, cost, and delivery; support the supplier delivery and quality escalation from internal stakeholders
  • Implement supplier scorecards and lead business reviews
  • Ensure supplier compliance with regulatory, environmental, and ethical standards
  • Support sustainability and responsible sourcing initiatives

 

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related field (MBA preferred).
  • 6-10 years of Procurement and/or deep category management experience.
  • 3 years in regulated industry
  • Strong contract negotiation experience
  • Ability to work independently and within cross-functional teams
  • Strong organizational, follow-up, and attention-to-detail skills
  • Ability to travel approximately 20%, including international

Preferred:

  • Microsoft Office Suite proficiency.
  • Professional procurement certifications (CPSM, CPM, or similar).

 

About the Company

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Gateway Recruiting