Regional Category Manager

Job Summary

Responsible for managing sourcing activities within a specific category, driving scale and standardization globally, maximizing value, reducing overall costs, and improving the quality of goods purchased. Serves as the local business focal point for the category, ensuring sourcing strategy alignment with business and other stakeholders. Develops and maintains relationships with key suppliers. Approves, negotiates, and finalizes contracts to increase value while mitigating risk.

Other duties include analyzing, understanding, and interpreting market dynamics, trends, and drivers, as well as maintaining supplier databases.

• Accountable for managing a lower‑complexity regional category with a spend of up to USD $50MM.
• Support the development and execution of value‑optimal category strategies that appropriately balance security of supply, cost, and other value factors.
• Develop, maintain, and manage a supplier base that offers optimal quality, service, technology, and value.
• Support negotiation and implementation of supply agreements that include ideal terms.
• Conduct quarterly business reviews (QBRs) with key suppliers to advance supplier‑supported company objectives, develop supplier capabilities, and address gaps in supplier performance.
• Collaborate with business units, technology, and other functional stakeholders to develop and continuously evolve a cost‑saving/productivity plan for the category, including a pipeline of new ideas, in‑process projects, and projects accruing savings in support of exceeding annual savings goals.
• Develop and effectively utilize should‑cost models, market intelligence, and other value‑analysis tools to place the company in the best possible value position in the respective market.
• Address all supplier performance failures via root‑cause and corrective action processes, successfully levying claims, and other tactics as appropriate.
• Develop and implement supply category strategies, applying best‑in‑class procurement processes and technology, managing special projects, and driving procurement/supplier initiatives to meet product, service, quality and overall supply requirements and achieving cost‑savings objectives.
• Develop and execute RFPs/RFIs.
• Execute and manage supplier contracts and agreements in line with QH Delegation of Authority (DOA).
• Provide leadership to drive continuous improvement in spend‑management processes and tactics to drive compliance across the company.
• Develop strong relationships with internal business partners across the company and align with their individual business strategies and needs.
• Execute the defined strategic sourcing process and drive utilization of tools and techniques aligned with the process framework and architecture.
• Develop deep expertise in the spend category and share that expertise with global category managers and regional sourcing professionals.
• Act as the business focal‑point contact for the category, ensuring compliance with legal requirements, company procedures, and policies (SOX, Quality, etc.).
• Work with local sourcing professionals to ensure alignment with local regulations, restrictions, and supply‑chain requirements.
• Develop and maintain company sourcing methodology and tools.
• Work effectively across business units with different objectives in creating and implementing procurement strategies for complex spend categories.

• Bachelor’s degree or university degree (Business / Chemistry / Engineering preferred) or an equivalent mix of education and experience.
• Previous experience buying commodities or services in the chemical industry or a similar market.
• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in a sourcing or similar environment with a successful track record in developing and executing supplier…