Buyer III

Buyer III / Procurement Category Manager

This role serves as a Procurement Category Manager within a strategic procurement and supply chain organization focused on material handling systems (MHE) for a rapidly growing network of new facilities. You will build and execute capital sourcing strategies for critical equipment and components, drive consistency and scalability across complex automation environments, and help launch new technology-enabled buildings by partnering closely with engineering, operations, finance, and project teams.

This is a fully onsite position based in Bellevue, WA.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category sourcing strategies for equipment and components that form the overall MHE system or sub-systems, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and long-term network objectives.
• Lead cross-functional sourcing events from end to end, including requirements gathering, supplier selection, negotiations, and contract execution, to optimize the company's competitive position for capital equipment.
• Negotiate commercial terms and conditions with suppliers to secure favorable pricing, delivery, and service levels while managing risk and ensuring compliance with procurement policies.
• Manage internal and external relationships with key stakeholders, including suppliers, business units, engineering teams, finance, and other procurement groups, to ensure alignment and effective collaboration.
• Drive supplier performance management by establishing clear expectations and metrics, and by focusing on transparency, quality, innovation, and overall supplier performance.
• Collaborate with global and local teams to deploy and manage the implementation of defined category strategies across multiple sites and projects.
• Influence suppliers' roadmaps, designs, processes, technology decisions, and strategies to align with procurement priorities and operational requirements for MHE systems.
• Lead complex, cross-functional projects that drive productivity, innovation, and cost savings within the category, including new product development initiatives with technical teams.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and industry best practices to inform category strategies, identify opportunities, and support data-driven decision-making.
• Develop and maintain category-specific metrics, dashboards, and reporting to track performance, savings, supplier compliance, and project outcomes.
• Support building launches and new business lines by ensuring equipment and supply chains are in place on time, enabling technology deployments and operational readiness.
• Build procurement and supply chain processes from scratch where needed, including supply agreement structures, contracting provisions, and category management frameworks.
• Partner with hardware engineering, applied science, and operations engineering teams on new product development to ensure procurement strategies support technical requirements and operational uptime.
• Collaborate with capital planning, project management, worldwide design engineering, global engineering services, operations engineering, and reliability and maintenance engineering to ensure sourcing strategies support project timelines and performance targets.
• Use cost modeling and analytical tools to evaluate supplier proposals, compare scenarios, and make data-driven recommendations on sourcing decisions.
• Maintain accurate procurement records, including contracts, purchase orders, supplier data, and inventory-related information, using ERP and e-sourcing tools.
• Perform buying, purchasing, and planning activities as needed to support category execution, including data entry, order placement, and inventory coordination.
• Continuously refine procurement processes and documentation to improve efficiency, scalability, and consistency across the network of buildings.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in procurement, supply chain, or a related field, with a focus on equipment, industrial automation or robotics, capital expenditure (CAPEX), or similar complex categories.
• Proven experience in developing and executing category sourcing strategies for equipment and components, including capital procurement and category management.
• Demonstrated success in negotiating contracts and managing supplier relationships in complex, technical categories.
• Experience building procurement and supply chain processes from scratch, including knowledge of supply agreement construction and key contracting provisions and requirements.
• Strong cost modeling experience and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
• Proficiency with procurement tools and technologies, such as e-sourcing platforms, contract management systems, and ERP systems.
• Experience with purchasing and buying activities, including SAP or other ERP systems, inventory coordination, planning, negotiation, and data entry.
• Advanced…