Category Manager

Risus Talent Partners; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Risus Talent Partners is seeking a Senior Category Manager – Commercial Procurement to lead enterprise category strategy for consumable packaging products. The role collaborates with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and regional teams to drive growth, margins, and supplier alignment.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in category management or strategic sourcing, with proven ability to influence a decentralized organization and manage supplier partnerships across multiple regions.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in category management, strategic sourcing, procurement, or similar function.
• Experience in packaging consumables, industrial distribution, or product-driven environments.
• Strong vendor negotiations, supplier relationships, rebates, pricing, forecasting, inventory, and portfolio management.
• Solid analytical skills and ability to handle incomplete or fragmented data.
• Ability to normalize data, identify trends, and translate analysis into business decisions.
• Strong commercial judgment and understanding of how procurement impacts revenue and margins.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute enterprise category strategies to drive revenue growth and margins.
• Lead strategic supplier relationships, including Joint Business Planning, rebates, and investments.
• Develop and optimize portfolio strategy, assortment, pricing, and preferred-vendor programs.
• Lead private-label initiatives with supplier alignment and regional adoption.
• Partner with Sales and Marketing to create supplier-supported growth programs and training.
• Support forecasting, inventory optimization, and dead inventory reduction.
• Improve S&OP processes and identify opportunities for pricing optimization and cost savings.
• Collaborate with Regional Procurement Leaders to align enterprise programs with local needs.

Skills

Category management

Strategic sourcing

Procurement

Vendor negotiations

Supplier relationships

Pricing strategy

Forecasting

Inventory management

Data analysis

Influence stakeholders

Job description

Senior Category Manager – Commercial Procurement

About the Opportunity

We are seeking a Senior Category Manager – Commercial Procurement to join a growing procurement organization and help shape the future of enterprise category management.

This newly structured position will lead category strategy across a portfolio of consumable packaging products, with a focus on driving revenue growth, improving margins, strengthening supplier partnerships, and increasing adoption of enterprise programs across a decentralized organization.

This is a highly visible, cross-functional role that will work closely with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, Regional Procurement, Enterprise Sourcing, and strategic supplier partners. The ideal candidate will bring strong category management or strategic sourcing experience along with the commercial judgment and influence needed to drive change across a complex organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute enterprise category strategies that drive revenue growth, margin improvement, and supplier alignment.
• Lead strategic supplier relationships, including Joint Business Planning, negotiations, rebate programs, and supplier investment.
• Develop and optimize portfolio strategy, assortment, pricing, and preferred-vendor programs.
• Lead private-label initiatives, including supplier alignment, assortment strategy, margin improvement, sales support, and regional adoption.
• Partner with Sales and Marketing to develop supplier-supported growth programs, customer initiatives, training, and sales enablement.
• Support forecasting, inventory optimization, and reduction of dead or obsolete inventory.
• Participate in and improve the S&OP process.
• Identify opportunities for pricing optimization, margin expansion, cost savings, and portfolio improvement.
• Partner with Regional Procurement Leaders to implement enterprise category programs while accounting for local market needs and customer requirements.
• Influence and gain alignment across a decentralized organization, including approximately nine Regional Procurement Managers.
• Work closely with Enterprise Sourcing on supplier reporting, rebate administration, pricing governance, procurement operations, and analytics.
• Provide guidance and support to regional teams as new programs, processes, and supplier strategies are rolled out.
• Contribute to broader commercial strategy and growth initiatives.

Product Categories

The ideal candidate will have experience with consumable packaging products, such as:

• Tape
• General packaging supplies and consumables
• Related packaging categories

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years of experience in category management, strategic sourcing, procurement, or a closely related commercial function.
• Experience within packaging consumables, industrial distribution, packaging distribution, or a similar product-driven environment.
• Strong experience with vendor negotiations, supplier relationships, rebates, pricing, forecasting, inventory, and portfolio management.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to work effectively with incomplete, inconsistent, or fragmented data.
• Ability to normalize information, identify meaningful trends, and turn analysis into practical business decisions.
• Strong commercial judgment and an understanding of how procurement decisions impact revenue, margin, customers, and sales.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and drive initiatives without relying solely on direct authority.
• Collaborative communication style and the ability to build alignment across regional and enterprise teams.
• Comfortable operating in a decentralized, evolving organization where processes and structures are still being developed.

Location & Travel

Candidates near the organization's corporate office in Newtown Square, PA are strongly preferred. Candidates located within approximately one hour of a major airport may also be considered.

The role is expected to spend approximately one week per month at the corporate office, regardless of location, with additional travel for supplier meetings and collaboration with regional teams as needed.