Strategic Sourcing & Category Manager -Merchandise/Manufacturing

Location: Harrisburg, NC

Department: Operations / Procurement

Reports To: General Manager

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

The Strategic Sourcing & Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing sourcing, purchasing, and inventory strategies that support both Speedway Motorsports' retail merchandise business and race car manufacturing operations. This role oversees supplier relationships, category management, procurement analytics, inventory planning, and strategic sourcing to ensure products and components are acquired at the optimal cost, quality, and delivery while supporting operational and financial objectives.

The successful candidate will serve as the primary procurement partner for retail merchandising and manufacturing teams, using data-driven decision making to improve supplier performance, reduce costs, optimize inventory investment, and ensure uninterrupted product availability.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for souvenir merchandise, licensed products, apparel, race car components, manufacturing materials, and related products.
• Lead supplier selection, contract negotiations, pricing discussions, and vendor performance management.
• Identify opportunities to consolidate suppliers, improve purchasing leverage, reduce total cost, and mitigate supply chain risk.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with domestic and international suppliers while developing alternate sourcing strategies for critical products.

Category & Inventory Management

• Manage assigned product categories through demand forecasting, inventory planning, lifecycle management, and purchasing execution.
• Analyze sales trends, production schedules, inventory levels, and business forecasts to develop purchasing plans.
• Ensure merchandise availability for Speedway events while maintaining healthy inventory turns and minimizing obsolete inventory.
• Coordinate material purchases to support race car manufacturing schedules and customer demand.

Procurement Analytics & Business Improvement

• Develop reporting and dashboards that measure purchasing performance, supplier effectiveness, inventory health, spending trends, and cost savings.
• Analyze supplier spend, purchase price variance, freight expense, gross margin, inventory turns, and forecast accuracy.
• Recommend process improvements, inventory optimization strategies, sourcing initiatives, and cost-reduction opportunities supported by business data.
• Present recommendations and key performance metrics to leadership.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with Retail, Manufacturing, Engineering, Finance, Operations, Warehouse, and Sales teams to align purchasing decisions with organizational priorities.
• Support new product introductions, special events, seasonal merchandise planning, and manufacturing initiatives.
• Ensure purchasing activities comply with company policies, financial controls, and procurement best practices.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Operations, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Five or more years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, category management, supply chain, or purchasing.
• Demonstrated success negotiating supplier agreements and managing vendor relationships.
• Strong analytical skills with advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and ERP systems.
• Excellent communication, organizational, negotiation, and project management skills.

Preferred

• Experience in retail merchandising, consumer products, manufacturing, motorsports, automotive, or related industries.
• Experience using Power BI, SQL, Power Query, or other business intelligence tools.
• Knowledge of inventory optimization, demand forecasting, and category management principles.
• Professional certification such as CPSM, CSCP, CPIM, or equivalent.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Sourcing
• Category Management
• Procurement Analytics
• Supplier Relationship Management
• Contract Negotiation
• Inventory Planning & Demand Forecasting
• Cost Reduction & Continuous Improvement
• Financial & Operational Analysis
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Project Leadership

Performance Measures

Success in this position will be measured through:

• Cost savings and cost avoidance
• Supplier performance and on-time delivery
• Inventory turns and inventory accuracy
• Product availability and manufacturing support
• Merchandise gross margin
• Forecast accuracy
• Reduction of obsolete inventory
• Purchase price variance
• Process improvements and operational efficiencies
• Achievement of annual sourcing and procurement objectives

Why Join Speedway Motorsports?

This is an opportunity to shape procurement strategy across two unique and exciting businesses-world-class motorsports manufacturing and retail merchandising. The Strategic Sourcing & Category Manager will have a direct impact on profitability, operational excellence, supplier partnerships, and the fan experience while helping support some of the most recognized brands in motorsports.