Associate Category Manager

Grainger; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 81,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) matching

Paid Time Off

Holidays

Student Loan Refinancing

Financial Counseling

Maternity/Paternity Leave

Job summary

Grainger is seeking an Associate Category Manager to develop procurement strategies across indirect spend. You will lead global sourcing activities, manage negotiations, and drive cost savings while collaborating with stakeholders.

The role reports to the Manager, Category Manager and offers hybrid work from Lake Forest, IL or Chicago with travel as needed. Strong analytical and contract skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in business or supply chain field.
• 3+ years in category management, indirect procurement, contract negotiations, or global sourcing.
• Experience developing strategies and managing sub-category sourcing with substantial spend.
• Ability to assess and communicate financial and contractual plans at all levels.
• Proficiency in redlining and negotiating master agreements and addenda.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing plans for sub-categories with significant spend.
• Lead global sourcing activities, including vendor analysis and negotiation strategy.
• Provide regular updates to stakeholders on project statuses and market changes.
• Monitor market trends and benchmark costs using research tools.
• Identify procurement process improvements to increase efficiency.

Skills

Category Management

Indirect Procurement

Contract Negotiations

Global Sourcing

Spend Analysis

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business or Supply Chain

Job description

Associate Category Manager

Date: Oct 21, 2026

Location: LAKE FOREST, IL, US, 60045-5202 LAKE FOREST, IL, US, 60045-5201 CHICAGO, IL, US, 60661-4555

Company: Grainger Businesses

Work Location Type: Hybrid

Req Number 334357

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.6 million customers worldwide with maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer expertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported 2025 revenue of $17.9 billion. For more information, visitwww.grainger.com.

Compensation

The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $80,700.00 – $134,500.00. This role is eligible for an incentive target of up to 10% or $, based on the achievement of individual and company performance objectives in accordance with the current terms of the incentive program which are subject to change.

Rewards and Benefits

With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
• 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
• Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

For additional information and details regarding Grainger’s benefits, please click on the link below:

https://experience100.ehr.com/grainger/Home/Tools-Resources/Key-Resources/New-Hire

Grainger Benefits

The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.

The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.

Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.

Position Details

The Grainger Indirect Procurement team manages over $1billion of indirect spend for business team members across Grainger North America. As Associate Category Manager, you will develop the sourcing strategy for multiple sub-categories to provide savings and value through strategic sourcing execution which includes internal and external analysis, cost modelling, negotiations, and contract execution.

You will report to the Manager, Category Manager.

This role can be based in either Lake Forest, IL or downtown Chicago on a hybrid (3 days per week) basis. Full-time remote candidates will also be considered with a requirement of roughly 15% annual travel.

You Will

• Develop and execute sourcing plan for assigned sub-categories with a total spend under management of $20-100MM. Partner with stakeholders to understand short term and long-term needs; conduct internal analysis related to spend and specifications to reach savings and value goals.
• Lead global sourcing in respective sub-categories for pipeline and unplanned projects leveraging industry standard sourcing processes such as spend, total cost of ownership, and external market analysis, sourcing strategy, RFX execution, developing and executing negotiation strategy, and drafting and finalizing contract with selected suppliers.
• Provides regular updates to internal stakeholders on project statuses and market changes.
• Monitor supplier industry trends, validate and benchmark costs, and competitive pricing through research and market intelligence tools.
• Identify continuous improvement opportunities in procurement processes to increase efficiency and results across the department.
• Execute buying activities related to the strategic sourcing events as well as one-off requests as required by the business.

You Have

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or similar field required
• 3+ years Category Management, indirect procurement, contract negotiations, or global sourcing experience. required
• Experience developing strategies, managing projects, and applying sourcing processes for sub-categories with more than $250k spend.
• Experience assessing, managing, and communicating contractual, operational, financial plans and risks at all levels of the organization.
• Experience redlining and negotiating Master Agreements and Addendums.
• Experience performing spend and total cost of ownership analysis.
• CPM - Certification By The Institute For Supply Management Upon Hire preferred
• Professional qualification/certification from related professional organizations (e.g. CPSM, APICS) Upon Hire preferred
• We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.