Category Manager (Sourcing)

Job Overview

We are seeking a dynamic Category Manager (Sourcing) to join our team at Komatsu North America. 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 (Sourcing) 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

• Perform high-level category analysis, including full spend and segment spend into sub-categories if needed.

• Develop and implement commodity sourcing strategies through global market analysis, raw materials and services trends, technology, value chain analysis, and long-term sourcing plans.

• Prepare for and lead supplier negotiations.

• Manage RFI’s, RFP’s, and RFQ’s.

• Conduct industry research to identify qualified suppliers and benchmark best-in-class suppliers.

• Manage supplier relationships to develop the best value proposition, coordinating with key internal and external stakeholders.

• Oversee the creation of Statements of Work with internal stakeholders and suppliers.

• Manage, maintain, and update all supplier contracts.

• Develop partnership relationship management plans for selected suppliers to improve financials, reduce in-house/total costs, improve quality/6S, and on-time delivery (OTD).

• Ensure delivery against savings targets at required quality levels.

• Support cost reduction goals established by top management.

• Manage and utilize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Total Landed Cost (TLC) to leverage sourcing opportunities, considering local content, taxes, duties, geopolitical dimensions, intellectual property, and other business strategy factors.

• Travel to supplier locations to investigate new opportunities, improve manufacturing efficiencies, and resolve supply chain or quality issues.

• Evaluate supplier performance metrics, including value elements, performance trends, and risk analysis, to ensure category strategy effectiveness and take corrective action when needed.

• Continuously evaluate the supply base in terms of market research, product quality, competitive pricing, capability, and capacity.

• Perform SWOT and supplier risk analysis.

• Implement design changes and model implementations, processing Engineering Change Notices (ECN) and Engineering Release Letters (ERL) according to standards and QDC principles.

• Create and analyze reports as specified by management.

Qualifications/Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, or Business, OR a Diploma with relevant experience in Purchasing, Materials, or Engineering, along with CPIM, CSCP, or CPM Certification.

• 2 to 5 years of relevant working experience.

• Experience working in an ERP environment (SAP is a plus).

• Knowledge of Supply Chain programs such as Consignment, Kanban, JIT, VMI, Lean, CI, etc., and the ability to manage project execution of these programs.

• Extensive knowledge and deep understanding of commodities and category management.

• Strong negotiation skills.

• Demonstrated supplier relationship management and leadership capabilities.

• Highly self-motivated, with strong communication and analytical skills.

• Ability to build professional working relationships with suppliers and internal teams to maximize the benefits of supplier agreements.

• Critical thinking skills, using logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical specifications is preferred.

• Knowledge of Komatsu products considered an asset.