Category Manager

Briggs & Stratton; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Briggs & Stratton, headquartered in Milwaukee, seeks a Category Manager to drive strategic sourcing for assigned commodities, leading supplier selection, cost reduction, and performance management across the enterprise.

You will develop global sourcing strategies, manage supplier relationships, and oversee packaging and electronics-related categories, collaborating with plants and executives for alignment and execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management or equivalent experience.
• 2–3 years of purchasing or related field experience.
• Proficiency in MS Excel or Google Sheets.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience overseeing multiple plants/sites preferred.
• Knowledge of strategic sourcing and supplier processes.
• Ability to travel 10% domestically.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate broad purchasing practices, quotes and reviews cost/price and value analysis to select, reviews alternative suppliers
• Build and manage high level supplier relationships: communicating supplier performance & gaps to goals, and outlining improvement to ensure business objectives are met
• Ensuring supplier training for relevant processes and procedures
• Establishing and managing strategic sourcing goals and metrics for cost reduction, supplier performance, and sourcing decisions
• Researching and evaluating the benefits of contracts, open-market purchases and out-sourcing
• Negotiating, writing and verifying legal issues of supply agreements
• Recommending and implementing changes in processes or procedures for assigned areas
• Defining, resolving, and providing permanent solutions to systemic supplier performance issues
• Leading continuous cost reduction / value improvement activity by developing and executing projects, competitively quoting, conducting negotiations, and developing/executing cost models
• Developing and implementing communication plans to key stakeholders

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Supplier relationship

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management

Equivalent experience and education

Tools

MS Excel

Google Sheets

Job description

As a Category Manager your goal is to lead a set of commodities in the development and implementation of strategic sourcing activities across the enterprise. You'll execute the strategic sourcing process for assigned commodities by data gathering, identifying suppliers, quote preparation, supplier qualification, and gap analysis to make robust decisions regarding supplier selection and sourcing needs.

In addition, you'll develop global commodity sourcing strategies, be responsible for managing supplier relationships and performance, and lead cost reduction for assigned commodities. This role will manage packaging and other electronics related commodities. This is a great opportunity for someone with buyer related experience who is ready to step up to the next level!

You Will Do This By

• Evaluating broad purchasing practices, quotes and reviews cost/price and value analysis to select, reviews alternative suppliers
• Building and managing high level supplier relationships: communicating supplier performance & gaps to goals, and outlining improvement to ensure business objectives are met
• Ensuring supplier training for relevant processes and procedures
• Establishing and managing strategic sourcing goals and metrics for cost reduction, supplier performance, and sourcing decisions
• Researching and evaluating the benefits of contracts, open-market purchases and out-sourcing
• Negotiating, writing and verifying legal issues of supply agreements
• Recommending and implementing changes in processes or procedures for assigned areas
• Defining, resolving, and providing permanent solutions to systemic supplier performance issues
• Leading continuous cost reduction / value improvement activity by developing and executing projects, competitively quoting, conducting negotiations, and developing/executing cost models
• Developing and implementing communication plans to key stakeholders

The above statements are intended only to describe the general nature of the job and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of position responsibilities.

You Are The Kind Of Person Who Is

• Self-motivated and driven
• A critical thinker with strong problem solving skills
• Able to work in a fast paced environment

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management or related field OR equivalent experience and education
• Minimum two to three years of experience in purchasing or related field
• Proficiency in MS Excel and/or Google Sheets
• Experience at a corporate level overseeing multiple plants/sites preferred
• Comprehensive knowledge of strategic sourcing and supply strategies, purchasing function concepts and of supplier commodity processes and practices
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for report writing, presentations and interactions with diverse groups of people inside and outside of the corporation
• Ability to work in a team environment and to build and manage business relationships
• Ability to lead sophisticated partnership arrangements
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes and component applications, Statistical Process Control and other significant quality management techniques
• Strong knowledge of basic Geometric Dimension & Tolerance (GD&T) principles
• Fluent in English and primary language used in area of responsibility and/or location
• Ability to travel 10%, about once per month when needed, domestically

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Briggs & Stratton, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, provides innovative products and diverse power solutions to help people get work done. Briggs & Stratton is the world’s largest producer of engines for outdoor power equipment, and is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of lithium-ion battery, standby generator, energy storage system, lawn and turf care products through its Briggs & Stratton®, Vanguard®, Ferris®, Billy Goat®, and Branco® brands. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in more than 100 countries on six continents.

Briggs & Stratton is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. The Company conducts all employment practices without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran's status, pregnancy, genetic information, sexual orientation or any other basis prohibited by law. Briggs & Stratton also undertakes affirmative action to assure equal employment opportunity for minorities and women, for persons with disabilities, and for protected veterans.

Nearest Major Market: Milwaukee

Job Segment: Supply Chain Manager, Supply Chain, Strategic Sourcing, Supply, Operations