Category Manager, Indirect

Must be located near an Aptar site. Preferred locations include:
Cary, IL, Auburn, AL, Eatontown, NJ, Congers, NY and Lincolnton, NC.

Aptar is seeking a Category Manager, Indirect to join our closures segment. The Category Manager performs purchasing and sourcing duties for Indirect Materials across all our North America locations. This person will initially be responsible for one or more of the designated areas, however this could change over time as the business needs evolve - MRO, Professional Services, Equipment Leasing, HR.

The category manager is responsible for developing, implementing and communicating sourcing strategies for North America as well as developing a multiyear savings pipeline, leading initiatives that deliver annual savings, mitigating inflationary increases, forecasting market trends and supporting the annual budgetary process. This position will develop a collaborative environment across all business segments with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Finance to deliver an overall competitive advantage to Aptar.

• Be responsible as the North American leader for sourcing for Indirect Materials with an annual estimated spend, within the designated field, in excess of $50mm.
• Provide leadership and sourcing and contract expertise to the business, within designated field, and interact with internal and external customers while monitoring market trends, leading commodity and supplier profiling and disseminating information.
• Develop ideas and implement commodity strategies to improve operational efficiency, add value, aid business performance and work towards a strategy of continuous improvement.
• Work collaboratively with business, globally as required, to create a strategic vision for the department as well as driving purchasing synergies to achieve cost savings across all business units and segments.
• Develop and maintain a systematic, analytical and results-based method for savings, monitoring suppliers’ performance, sourcing effectiveness and communicate results to business.
• Manage linkage to Business Unit Procurement activities to optimize opportunities.
• Lead negotiation efforts on purchase agreements and supplier contracts with a bias for achievement of quality, delivery, cost containment, working capital, lead-time and process improvement.
• Initiate and implement risk management strategies and ensure supply continuity.
• Establish low cost sourcing and alternative sources for materials.
• Create and implement feedback mechanisms to determine customer satisfaction levels; respond to issues and concerns and collaborate with teams in managing supplier relationships.
• Design comparison models for index based contracts.
• Conduct complex market and internal data analysis to ensure supplier performance.
• Properly report progress of initiatives and work to resolve internal roadblocks and follow internal escalation procedures when necessary to achieve budgeted savings.
• Leverage volume across major spend items, driving value to the highest possible level.
• Assess and evaluate suppliers and conduct performance reviews to ensure contract compliance and manage performance improvement activities.
• Maximum 25% travel to build stakeholder relationships across NA sites.

• 8+ years experience in strategic sourcing, plant procurement, and project management and supply chain management.
• Experience in the defined Category is a plus.
• Contract and Project Management.
• SAP and Ariba knowledge preferred.
• Ability to communicate in multiple languages or multiple country experiences are a plus.

Travel: 25%

Aptar is an equal opportunities employer. We believe that a diverse workforce is key to our success. We welcome applications from all members of society irrespective of age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief.