Job Overview

In this role, you will be responsible for managing sourcing activities by identifying and qualifying suppliers to meet Original Equipment (OE), Aftermarket, and general business requirements. Your focus will be on enhancing productivity and negotiating the lowest total overall cost.

The Category Manager is responsible for developing specific category strategies for various spends, standardizing contracts, and analyzing technical data to ensure efficient operations. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams and monitor market trends to align category strategies with business goals. As the primary owner of supplier relationship management, you will drive strategy and manage deliverables effectively.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Identify and qualify suppliers capable of providing products and services to meet OE and Aftermarket requirements in accordance with SLQDC principles; ensuring productivity, continuous improvement, and negotiated lowest total overall cost.
• Develop specific category strategies for single or multiple categories of spend, i.e., Steel, Castings, Forgings, Machining, Hydraulic, Mechanical, Electronics, Indirect, etc.
• Standardize Contracts and Master Purchase Agreements for category purchases as directed by the business strategies and corporate goals.
• Analyze technical data, designs, preliminary specifications, manufacturing limitations, supplier facilities, and availability of parts, equipment and services.
• Lead and participate in team collaborations where category management expertise is required.  Ensure category strategy is reflective of business goals, communicated, and executed.
• Monitor supply markets and commodity trending for competitive changes and prepare cost models for respective category.
• Primary owner of Supplier Relationship Management for strategic supply base within given category. 
• Be a leader and work independently to establish strategy timeline, managing deliverables, and ability to appropriately identify and escalate issues when needed.

Qualifications/Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, or Business.  An associates’ degree in combination with relevant experience in Purchasing, Materials, or Engineering background with specialized knowledge on a focused group of commodities will be considered.
• Must possess analytical/critical thinking skills.
• CPIM, CSCP or CPM Certifications a plus
• Must be able to travel as needed

Experience

• 5+ years of relevant working experience
• Experience working in an ERP environment (SAP a plus)
• MS Office aptitude

Additional Information

Personal Attributes

• Professional and Positive attitude.
• Strong relational skills, ability to work with all departments, fosters teamwork in a positive work environment.
• Ability to work independently and be self-motivated.

System Skills

SAP, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Ariba

Technical Skills

• • Broad knowledge and thorough understanding and experience in commodity knowledge; and experience in category or commodity management with strong negotiation skills, demonstration of supplier relationship management and leadership capabilities
  • Self-motivated, must be a good communicator with strong analytical skill and the ability to build a highly professional working relationship with each supplier and internally to promote maximum benefit of the supplier agreements.
  • Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.  Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical specification preferred.
  • Knowledge of Komatsu products is desired but not necessary.
  • Knowledge of Supply Chain programs (Consignment, Kanban, JIT, VMI, Lean, CI, etc.) and ability to management project execution of these programs.