Sr. Manager, Global Category Management

Senior Manager, Global Category Management

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Manager, Global Category Management to lead enterprise-wide sourcing initiatives and oversee a team of category managers. This role combines hands-on ownership of high-impact categories with leadership responsibility for guiding global sourcing strategy, supplier performance, and cost optimization across the organization.

Operating within a matrixed, global manufacturing environment, the Senior Manager partners closely with Engineering, Operations, Planning, and Finance to ensure supply continuity, strengthen supplier relationships, and drive long-term value creation.

• Lead global category strategies for assigned direct material categories.
• Manage end-to-end sourcing activities including RFx development, negotiations, and supplier selection.
• Deliver measurable cost savings, cost avoidance, and value engineering outcomes.
• Monitor commodity markets and develop proactive mitigation strategies for cost and supply risks.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships for critical categories.

• Provide direction, coaching, and oversight to category managers and analysts across multiple categories.
• Ensure consistency and quality in category strategies, sourcing approaches, and supplier management practices.
• Review and challenge category plans to ensure alignment with business, operational, and financial objectives.
• Foster a collaborative, performance-driven culture focused on capability development and continuous improvement.

• Lead executive-level supplier relationships for both owned and team-managed categories.
• Establish governance frameworks for strategic suppliers, including performance reviews and innovation initiatives.
• Oversee supplier risk management and continuity planning across the category portfolio.

• Partner with Engineering on product qualification, specification optimization, value engineering, and cost modeling.
• Align with planning teams to support demand/supply balancing and long-term sourcing strategies.
• Collaborate with site procurement teams to ensure global strategies are executed effectively at the local level.

• Achieve individual category savings targets and support team delivery of broader cost and productivity goals.
• Identify and execute value engineering opportunities and supplier innovation initiatives.
• Monitor commodity trends and develop forward-looking cost mitigation strategies.

• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, contracts, and ethical sourcing standards.
• Drive standardization of sourcing processes, tools, and data across regions and business units.
• Support digital procurement initiatives including eSourcing, analytics, and ERP enhancements.

• Cost savings and cost avoidance (absolute and percentage).
• Supplier on-time delivery and quality performance.
• Strategic spend under management and contract coverage.
• Supply continuity and risk mitigation effectiveness.
• Contribution to working capital improvements (inventory, payment terms).
• Team capability development and performance outcomes.

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or a related discipline; an MBA is a plus.
• 7–10+ years of experience in strategic sourcing or category management, ideally focused on direct materials.
• Background working within global or multi-site manufacturing environments.
• 3–5+ years of leadership experience managing teams across regions or within a global structure.
• Strong negotiation capabilities, analytical thinking, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence outcomes within a matrixed organization.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage and present effectively at the executive level.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint), data visualization tools such as PowerBI, and project management applications.

• Experience sourcing metals, electrical…