Category Manager

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Regular Procurement Sturtevant, Sturtevant, WI, US

4 days ago Requisition

Category Manager

Procurement

Director of Procurement

Sturtevant, WI

The MRO & Indirect Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing end-to-end enterprise category strategies for Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) and indirect spend across ND Paper's U.S. manufacturing locations. The role optimizes total cost of ownership (TCO), ensures supply continuity, reduces supplier and operational risk, and improves commercial leverage through strategic sourcing, supplier portfolio management, contract governance, and spend transparency.

This role partners closely with Maintenance, Operations, Engineering, Finance, mill leadership, Purchasing Managers, and Buyers to translate business demand into multi-year sourcing strategies and clear commercial guardrails. The Category Manager is expected to operate strategically - building enterprise leverage and enabling site execution rather than serving as a transactional buyer.

The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity. At ND Paper, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.

ND Paper is a leading manufacturer of high-quality pulp, paper, and packaging products in the United States, generating over half a billion dollars in annual sales. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited – the largest container board producer in the world – ND Paper is part of a global network committed to excellence and innovation. With two integrated pulp and paper mills in Rumford, Maine and Biron, Wisconsin, a packaging plant in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, and two sheeting facilities in Langhorne, Pennsylvania and Fairmont, West Virginia, the ND Paper family produces nearly one million tons of products annually.

Our 1,100 dedicated employees are the heart of our operations, and we are committed to fostering positive work environments where individuals can advance and thrive. At ND Paper, we are investing in our future, and that starts with our staff.

• Enterprise MRO and industrial supply spend, including bearings and power transmission, mechanical components, valves and instrumentation, electrical supplies, industrial consumables, and related storeroom categories.
• Indirect operating categories such as safety/PPE, facilities supplies and services, and other recurring operating spend assigned to the portfolio.
• Strategic distributors, manufacturers, OEMs, specialty suppliers, and other critical suppliers supporting mill operations.

• Develop and own 1-3 year enterprise MRO and indirect category strategies aligned with business objectives, maintenance plans, outage requirements, and operational demand.
• Analyze spend by category, supplier, and site to identify fragmentation, sourcing opportunities, price leakage, and consolidation potential.
• Define supplier segmentation, preferred supplier lists, manufacturer-direct strategies, and dual/alternate sourcing approaches.
• Translate demand forecasts and maintenance requirements into capacity, sourcing, and risk-mitigation plans.
• Develop strategies for unmanaged and tail spend while preserving mill-level execution speed.

• Lead enterprise and multi-site RFx events (RFI/RFP/RFQ), competitive sourcing, and structured negotiations.
• Design and negotiate master supply agreements, enterprise pricing, rebates, freight terms, pricing mechanisms, indexation, and escalation clauses.
• Challenge single-source and OEM requirements where commercially and technically appropriate and develop qualified alternatives.
• Use should-cost analysis, market intelligence, manufacturer-direct relationships, competitive bids, and distribution strategies to reduce TCO.
• Standardize commercial terms while allowing appropriate site-specific operational flexibility and ensure legal, financial, and operational alignment before execution.
• Own supplier…