Category Manager

Jobtailor; Minnesota; On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor is seeking a senior procurement professional in Minnesota to lead category strategies, supplier performance reviews and cost-saving initiatives. You will drive supplier qualification, negotiate contracts and manage risk assessments across cross-functional teams.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree and 7+ years of supply chain experience, plus proven skills in Lean, PFMEAs and value stream mapping. Strong analytical and communication abilities are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, SCM or Engineering.
• 7+ years of supply chain experience.
• Proven project management skills and cross-functional leadership.
• Understanding of regulations and legal requirements.
• Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills to close contracts.
• Analytical abilities for templates and templates adaptation.
• Experience with Lean concepts and value stream mapping.
• Working knowledge of PFMEAs.
• Cost/benefit analyses and make buy/decision modeling.
• Understanding of total cost of ownership, inventory holding cost and cost of capital.
• Strong attention to detail and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Define, document and drive category strategies with BT Category Specialists.
• Lead annual/semiannual supplier performance reviews.
• Execute new supplier search and lead qualification process based on BT needs.
• Coordinate supplier reductions/terminations across BTs.
• Manage contract negotiation.
• Review and maintain supplier risk assessments.
• Lead procurement tool & process development.
• Provide training to internal and external parties.
• Identify and support cost savings opportunities; provide project management support.

Skills

Supplier performance review

Contract negotiation

Project management

Lean concepts

Cost/benefit analysis

Total cost of ownership

Inventory holding cost

Cost of capital

Statistical methods

Cross-functional teams

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business

Bachelor’s degree in Finance

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Procurement tools

Project management tools

Job description

• Work with BT Category Specialists to define, document and drive category strategies
• Lead annual/semiannual supplier performance reviews
• Execute new supplier search and lead qualification process based on BT needs
• Coordinate supplier reductions/terminations across BTs
• Manage contract negotiation
• Review and maintain supplier risk assessments
• Lead procurement tool & process development
• Provide training to internal and external parties
• Work with Category Specialists to identify and support cost savings opportunities
• Provide project management support including defining, tracking and communicating milestones as required for procurement projects e.g., new supplier qualification, supplier exits/transitions, identification and implementation of new tools

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain Management or Engineering
• Minimum of 7 years of supply chain experience
• Proven project management skills and knowledge leading cross-functional teams
• Comprehensive understanding of business needs, regulations, and legal requirements
• Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills to enable successful conclusion of contracts
• Solid analytical abilities creating and adapting templates to be used across the company
• Experienced in Lean concepts and complex value stream mapping
• Working knowledge of PFMEAs
• Capable of generating cost/benefit analyses and make buy/decision modeling
• Adept at articulating total cost of ownership, inventory holding cost and cost of capital
• Demonstrated understanding of statistical methods
• Strong attention to detail, along with strong written and verbal presentation and communication skills

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in supply chain management, project management, and contract negotiation, with a strong focus on cost savings and supplier performance. Proficient in analytical methods and tools to support procurement strategies and risk assessments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Supply Chain Management
• Project Management
• Contract Negotiation
• Lean Concepts
• Cost/Benefit Analysis

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Supplier Performance Review
• Supplier Risk Assessment
• Value Stream Mapping
• PFMEAs
• Total Cost of Ownership
• Inventory Holding Cost
• Cost of Capital
• Statistical Methods
• Template Creation
• Decision Modeling

Soft Skills

• Negotiation Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Attention to Detail
• Written Communication
• Verbal Communication

Certifications & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business
• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance
• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management
• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Industry Keywords

• Supplier Qualification
• Cost Savings Opportunities
• Cross-Functional Teams
• Business Regulations
• Legal Requirements

Tools & Technologies

• Procurement Tools
• Project Management Tools