Category Manager, Paper NA at Avery Dennison Mentor, OH

Avery Dennison Corporation

Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE: AVY) is a global materials science and digital identification solutions company. We are making possible products and solutions that help advance the industries we serve, providing branding and information solutions that optimize labor and supply chain efficiency, reduce waste, advance sustainability, circularity and transparency, and better connect brands and consumers. We design and develop labeling and functional materials, radio frequency identification (RFID) inlays and tags, software applications that connect the physical and digital, and offerings that enhance branded packaging and carry or display information that improves the customer experience.

Serving industries worldwide - including home and personal care, apparel, general retail, e-commerce, logistics, food and grocery, pharmaceuticals and automotive - we employ approximately 35,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Our reported sales in 2024 were $8.8 billion.

Title:

Category Manager, Paper (North America) – Avery Dennison Materials Group North America.

Location:

Mentor, Ohio. This role sets and implements the procurement strategy for Paper category in North America, driving the 5 levers strategic plan to enable spend and category optimization.

• Lead and implement Project Nova initiatives within assigned business.
• Drive functional transformation in sync with Avery Dennison Plan to Win, our Material Groups Global Strategy and the 5 Levers Strategic Plan.
• Manage supplier relationships and drive quarterly business reviews and holistic performance conversations.
• Deliver best practices in strategic sourcing, cost modeling, supplier relationship development, and total cost of ownership.
• Develop and implement long‑term strategies to develop competitive advantage in materials and reduce supply base risk.
• Create first‑mover advantages by staying on the leading‑edge of materials trends, delivering innovation, new materials and new suppliers.
• Share market, competitive, geo‑political intelligence on a regular basis to enable enterprise navigation.
• Work with Marketing, R&D and Procurement to determine future sourcing needs and develop sourcing plans.
• Ensure value stream analysis, supplier roadmaps and cost models are robust and complete for the category.
• Liaise with regional and global procurement teams, managing global supply risk, and identifying new sources aligned with the subcategory procurement strategy and business strategy.

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 7+ years purchasing or related experience with supervision and leadership experience.
• Market/application/product knowledge of the paper label industry a plus.
• Excellent presentation, oral and written communication skills.
• Proven vendor selection and negotiation skills with strong business acumen.
• Relationship builder.
• Strategic planning and project execution.
• Digital mindset.
• Innovative and sustainable thinker.
• Prior experience leading complex RFx, supplier/vendor negotiations and developing contracts.
• Leadership, mentoring, training and project management experience.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed (