Category Manager 2

Woodward Inc.; Rockford (IL); On-site; USD 105,000 - 168,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual cash bonus opportunity

401(k) match

Stock contribution (5%)

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Woodward Inc. is seeking to enhance its energy control solutions business with a strategic category manager. You will conduct market research, develop category strategies, and manage supplier relations to improve profitability and lifecycle management across multi-site categories.

The role emphasizes financial oversight, project pipeline development, and cross-functional collaboration with stakeholders to align with business goals and market dynamics.

Qualifications

• Market analysis and research to identify opportunities within categories.
• Develop and implement long-term category strategies and supplier posture.

Responsibilities

• Market Analysis and Research: identify opportunities and market trends.
• Category Strategy Development: optimize performance and profitability of categories.

Skills

Market analysis

Category strategy

Project management

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Job description

Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards.

We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our communities creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to power a clean future.

Woodward supports our members’ wellbeing and regularly benchmarks with other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position. Salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Estimated annual base pay: $105,000.00 (minimum) - $136,000.00 (midpoint) - $168,000.00 (maximum)

All Levels are eligible for the benefits below:

• All members included in annual cash bonus opportunity.
• 401(k) match (4.5%)
• Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%)
• Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members
• 12 paid holidays.
• Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire
• Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave.
• Paid parental leave.
• Adoption Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits.
• Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life
• Member referral bonus
• Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending
• Voluntary benefits, including:
• Home / Auto Insurance discounts
• Whole Life Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave

Key Responsibilities:

• Market Analysis and Research: Conduct market research and analyze trends to identify opportunities and threats within the category.
• Category Strategy Development: Develop and implement strategies to optimize the performance and profitability of assigned product categories for the long term. Anticipate needs of the business to posture supply base for the future.
• Project generation, scope definition and maturation: Manage project pipeline to identify and mature projects that support category strategy, product margin, and product lifecycle.
• Approved Supplier List (ASL) Management: Manage approved supplier list. Align suppliers into strategic categories based on alignment with stakeholders. Assign suppliers into sub categories based on the category of product they provide. Ensure completeness and consistency appropriate to multi-site suppliers.
• Financial Management: Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance for assigned categories, ensuring profitability and cost efficiency through effective financial planning.

Key Skills:

• Business Acumen: Understands the complex relationships between all functions of the business and wider economic context. Frames work in terms of business value and needs. Directs and coordinates the development of initiatives that cross organizational lines. Creates business cases for investments that would improve performance.
• Intelligence Gathering: Uses spend analytics and market research to make decisions and guide the category. Collaborates with suppliers on any strategy.
• Executive Presence: Able to influence others using communication and leadership skills. Demonstrates leadership capabilities when working with others.
• Insight Generation: Forms valuable insights backed in data, knowledge, experience, or research. Brings insights to others to guide processes.
• Project Management: Ties project to functional and business goals. Aligns all stakeholders and meets goals.
• Stakeholder Management: Identifies new stakeholders. Engages stakeholders. Ensures all stakeholders are aligned.
• Strategic Thinking: Able to think critically to solve problems and achieve goals. Generates and utilizes insights.
• Communication and Influence: Shares information effectively, is able to affect decisions across different audiences using specialized approaches. Sells own ideas by tying them into the values, needs, aspirations and goals of others.
• Intellectual Curiosity: Crafts innovative solutions. Constructively pushes against long-held assumptions in the function.
• Value Orientation: Manages projects and goals with little assistance. Establishes performance standards and measurements for work. Delivers on value proposition.

This information is provided in compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and is the company’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the compensation range and benefits offered for this position. The compensation offered to the successful applicant may vary based on factors including experience, skills, education, location, and other job-related reasons.

This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be U.S. Persons within the meaning of the ITAR and EAR, or eligible to obtain all required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The ITAR defines a U.S. Person as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident (i.e., 'Green Card holder'), or a protected person (e.g., asylee, or refugee).

Woodward is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local laws.