Category Manager - IT

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop a category strategy to achieve cost savings and improve quality and service levels by identifying opportunity areas such as product standardization and supplier consolidation.
• Oversee all spend activity and purchase requests for category and determine proper action plan for all purchases that meet the Supply Chain involvement threshold.
• Solicit price bids and proposals from qualified registered suppliers. Conduct comparison analysis of all bids against provided scope of work for contracted and non-contracted services.
• Administer/manage contracted and non-contracted services to ensure that all contractual requirements are met by both the supplier and the organization. Ensure prices and expiration dates are accurately reflected on service POs.
• Monitor actual usage of contracted service (ie agreed number of visits per year on specific vessel). Evaluate and confirm usage estimates on service POs with department heads.
• Provide category related subject matter expertise when necessary.
• Effectively work with functional and business groups as a trusted advisor to determine desired product/service specifications and projected demand when making recommended action plans.
• Develop Strategic Supplier Relationship Management programs.
• Collaborate with Spend Analysis & Reporting Team to conduct analysis for category improvement opportunities (e.g., market research) and to implement non-sourcing category projects (e.g., demand management).
• Support Sourcing Specialists to lead cross‑functional teams to execute strategic sourcing projects for category areas.
• Ensure that NCLH has good supply market understanding and works with the business/function teams to provide input for creating innovative win‑win customer and supplier strategies.
• Proactively identify improvement opportunities for Beverage related products and recommend key actions to the appropriate stakeholders.
• Conduct testing as per NCLH's standard operating process.
• Monitor supplier performance and manage supplier relationships for key suppliers across multiple business divisions.
• Perform other job‑related functions as assigned.

DEGREE TYPE: Bachelor’s Degree

FIELD(S) OF STUDY: Business, MBA or any equivalent combinations of relevant education and work experience.

• Minimum 5 years of strategic sourcing/procurement experience, performance measurement, contract negotiation, project management, category management, business analysis, or change management experience.
• 2+ years of category or industry specific experience. Cruise line and Duty‑Free knowledge a plus.

• Working knowledge of an automated logistics and purchasing system is required, preferably with MXP and SAP.
• Strong knowledge of strategic sourcing methodology with pragmatism to manage exceptions.
• Ability to develop and sourcing strategies by identifying areas of opportunity.
• Track record of effectively directing and leveraging procurement spend by leading global cross‑functional teams.
• Experience managing and maintaining strong supplier relationships.
• Strong leadership presence and negotiation/contract management experience.
• Knowledge and experience with best practice processes, tools, and procurement/spend systems data and analysis.
• Strong interpersonal and management capabilities.
• Must have strong organizational skills.
• Strong problem solving, analytical and report summation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to apply change management and consulting skills/knowledge and expertise.
• Firsthand working knowledge of strategic sourcing methodology required. Technical knowledge and expertise preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), proficiency in Procure‑to‑Pay systems (e.g. Ariba). Team Building, technical knowledge and expertise, high degree of business acumen, management, and interpersonal skills.