Category Manager

Flint Hills Resources; Rochester Hills (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Molex seeks a Category Manager for Non-Metallics to support the Asia region and the global procurement strategy for nonmetallic materials used across Molex’s worldwide businesses. You will partner with engineering, manufacturing, and procurement teams to drive cost competitiveness and supplier resilience.

The role leads cross-functional initiatives, manages one direct report, and requires strategic thinking, data-driven decisions, and the ability to influence across a global matrix organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, engineering, finance, or a related field.
• 5+ years of direct material procurement or sourcing experience.
• 2+ years owning category management, including strategy development, supplier negotiations, and portfolio decisions.
• Demonstrated leadership mentoring others and guiding cross-functional teams.
• Ability to work in a global, matrixed organization and influence across functions.
• Global travel up to ~30%.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute global category strategies for nonmetallic materials.
• Identify supply base gaps and regional sourcing strategies.
• Define category analytics to support total cost of ownership (TCO) improvements.
• Lead supplier strategies, portfolio optimization, and SRM initiatives.
• Negotiate supplier portfolios meeting strategic, technical, and commercial needs.
• Partner with engineering, operations, and business leaders using data insights.
• Drive cross-regional collaboration and adoption of category strategies.
• Identify synergies across Molex divisions and Koch entities.

Skills

Procurement experience

Category management

Leadership

Global travel

Influence across functions

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, engineering, finance, or a related field

Job description

As Category Manager, Non-Metallics, you will support the Asia region and the global procurement strategy for non‑metallic materials used across Molex’s worldwide businesses. This role plays a critical part in enabling cost competitiveness, supplier resilience, and scalable growth by aligning sourcing strategy with engineering, manufacturing, and business priorities.

You will be part of a highly matrixed global environment, partnering across cross functional teams and regional stakeholders to drive total cost of ownership (TCO) improvements, elevate supplier performance, and embed best in class procurement practices. This role, managing one direct report, requires strong strategic thinking, influence without authority, and the ability to lead complex change initiatives.

Our Team

You will join Molex’s Global Procurement organization, partnering closely with category leaders, business procurement teams, engineering, operations, quality, and supply chain leaders across regions. Our team works collaboratively across Molex divisions and Koch entities to create value through principled decision-making, global alignment, and continuous improvement.

This role offers meaningful exposure across the enterprise and the opportunity to shape how Molex sources and manages critical direct materials on a global scale.

What You Will Do

Category Strategy & Value Creation

• Support the development and execution of global category strategies for nonmetallic materials aligned with Molex and business unit objectives
• Identify and close supply base gaps, including development of regional (local-to-local) sourcing strategies where appropriate
• Define category taxonomy, baselines, and analytics to support total cost of ownership (TCO) improvements
• Identify and deliver cost reduction and cost avoidance opportunities while balancing quality, service, and risk
• Lead supplier strategies, including selection, portfolio optimization, and relationship management
• Establish long-term relationships with suppliers and support Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) initiatives with strategic and business critical suppliers.
• Negotiate and align supplier portfolios that meet strategic, technical, and commercial needs
• Serve as a trusted partner to engineering, operations, and business leaders, influencing decisions through data and insight
• Drive cross regional collaboration and adoption of category strategies across Molex businesses
• Partner with procurement leaders across Molex divisions and Koch entities to identify synergies and best practices

Governance, Risk & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor market dynamics, supplier performance, and risk across regions
• Ensure compliance with Molex policies and relevant regulatory, quality, and environmental standards
• Lead category related projects and continuous improvement initiatives across the enterprise

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, engineering, finance, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in direct material procurement or sourcing within a manufacturing or industrial environment
• 2+ years of experience owning category management activities, including category strategy development, supplier negotiations, and spend or portfolio decisions
• Demonstrated leadership through mentoring others, guiding cross functional‑teams, or leading initiatives
• Ability to work effectively in a global, matrixed organization and influence across functions
• Global travel (up to ~30%)

What Will Put You Ahead

• Experience with non-metallic categories: Rubber Seals, Film, Tape, Foam, Chemicals, Adhesives and Glass.
• Experience leading global category management across multiple regions or business units
• Background partnering closely with engineering, operations, or manufacturing teams
• Experience working with international suppliers and culturally diverse, virtual teams
• Demonstrated success driving change, alignment, and adoption of new ways of working
• Master’s degree or advanced training in business, supply chain, engineering, or related disciplines

At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.

Hiring Philosophy

All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here .

Who We Are

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes:

• medical
• dental
• vision
• flexible spending and health savings accounts
• life insurance
• ADD
• disability
• retirement
• paid vacation/time off
• educational assistance
• infertility assistance
• paid parental leave
• adoption assistance

Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here , aquí , or tu ).