Category Manager – Direct Component & Hardware Procurement

Tarter USA; Dunnville (KY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Tarter USA in Kentucky is seeking a Category Manager for Direct Component & Hardware Procurement to own sourcing decisions that keep production lines running and costs competitive.

You will build supplier partnerships, lead negotiations, and coordinate with Operations, Engineering, and Finance to standardize components and support capital projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, or related field.
• 5+ years in strategic sourcing or procurement in manufacturing.
• Proven cost-savings and supplier performance improvements.
• Experience with Vendor Managed Inventory programs.
• Strong Excel and spend-analysis capabilities; ERP familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies across direct components and hardware.
• Lead negotiations, RFx events, and total-cost-of-ownership initiatives.
• Manage supplier scorecards and business reviews for key partners.
• Analyze spend, market trends, and supplier performance to spot opportunities.
• Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Plant Leadership, and Finance.

Skills

Negotiation

Contract management

Spend analysis

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain/ Procurement/ Business

Tools

SAP

Oracle

JD Edwards

Microsoft Dynamics

Job description

Tarter USA | Manufacturing | Full-Time

Ready to put your negotiation skills, market savvy, and strategic thinking to work where it actually moves the needle.

Category Manager – Direct Component & Hardware Procurement

Tarter USA is looking for a Category Manager – Direct Component & Hardware Procurement to take ownership of the sourcing decisions that keep our production lines running and our costs competitive. If you love the challenge of turning spend data into savings, building suppliers into true partners, and being the person Operations, Engineering, and Finance all want in the room — this is your seat at the table.

What You'll Own

• Strategy & cost impact – Build and execute sourcing strategies across your categories, leading negotiations, RFx events, and total-cost-of-ownership initiatives that deliver measurable savings.
• Supplier partnerships – Manage relationships, scorecards, and business reviews with key suppliers, holding them accountable for quality, delivery, and performance.
• Consolidation & VMI – Lead supplier consolidation and Vendor Managed Inventory programs that cut complexity and free up working capital without missing a beat on supply.
• Data-driven decisions – Analyze spend, market trends, and supplier performance to spot opportunities before anyone else does.
• Cross-functional leadership – Partner with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Plant Leadership, and Finance to standardize components and support new facilities and capital projects.

What You Bring

• 5+ years of strategic sourcing, category management, or procurement experience in a manufacturing environment, with hands-on work in direct component and hardware categories.
• A track record of real, measurable cost savings and supplier performance gains — not just plans, but results.
• Experience standing up and running Vendor Managed Inventory programs.
• Sharp negotiation and contract management chops, backed by comfort in Excel and spend-analysis tools; familiarity with SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar ERP systems.
• A bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.
• Bonus points for a CPSM, CPM, or CSCP certification, Lean/Six Sigma experience, or a background supporting multiple manufacturing sites or capital projects.

Why This Role

This isn't a back-office purchasing job — it's a seat with real influence. You'll shape category strategy, negotiate agreements that matter, and be trusted to make calls independently while partnering with leadership on the big ones. If you think strategically, execute relentlessly, and want your fingerprints on the bottom line, we want to talk to you.

Work Environment

Primarily office-based within our manufacturing environment, with regular time on the plant floor and occasional travel to supplier sites, facilities, and trade events. Fast pace, quick pivots, and real stakes — exactly how you like it.