Category Manager, Procurement

Brunswick; Fond du Lac (WI); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 127,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401k with match

Paid vacation

Job summary

Brunswick Corporation, including Mercury Marine, is seeking a Category Manager, Procurement in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. This role develops and executes procurement and supply chain strategy for MRO, partnering with operations, engineering, facilities, and finance to ensure uptime and standardized cost management.

The position leads strategic sourcing events, negotiates with global suppliers, and drives continuous improvement to optimize costs, quality, and delivery across a fast-paced supply

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years of experience in sourcing, supply chain management, or engineering.
• BS/BA in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Operations Management or related business field.
• Experience working in a global organization with a matrix structure.
• Experience in manufacturing, industrial, facilities management, or multi-site operations.
• Knowledge of inventory management, reliability, or maintenance practices.
• Prior experience leading and managing a team of sourcing professionals.

Responsibilities

• Lead category strategy for MRO, aligning with business objectives and operational needs.
• Develop and manage supplier relationships, contracts, and performance reviews.
• Own pricing, cost management, and multi-year category strategies for MRO spend.
• Manage projects for new product development, cost reduction, or strategic change.
• Collaborate across engineering, manufacturing, quality, finance, and service to drive execution.

Skills

Sourcing

Supply chain management

Engineering

Inventory management

Leadership

Global matrix organization

Education

BS/BA in Supply Chain Management

BS/BA in Engineering or related field

Tools

Oracle ERP

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Are you ready for what’s next? Come explore opportunities within Brunswick, a global marine leader committed to challenging conventions and innovating next-generation technologies that transform experiences on the water and beyond. Brunswick believes “Next Never Rests™,” and we offer a variety of exciting careers and growth opportunities within united teams defining the future of marine recreation. Innovation is the heart of Brunswick. See how your contributions will help transform vision into reality:

Position Overview: The role of Category Manager, Procurement at Mercury Marine develops, plans, and executes the procurement and supply chain strategy for the Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) category. This role partners closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Facilities, and Finance to ensure continuity of supply, standardization, and value creation across MRO categories. The Category Manager leads strategic sourcing initiatives, supplier negotiations, and continuous improvement efforts to support operational uptime and business objectives. Additionally, this high visibility hands‑on role leads internal team, cross‑functional collaboration, and drives supplier execution for new product development and current production to optimize costs, quality, and delivery with a complex and fast‑paced supply chain. The Category Manager develops and manages relationships with global supply partners, driving innovation and competitive advantage for Mercury Marine and our global locations. At Brunswick, we have passion for our work and a distinct ability to deliver.

Essential Functions

• Category Leadership – Passionately lead their category team, building and communicating the vision, and developing team members to be proactive agents of change, recognized for procurement excellence, subject matter expertise, and ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders in a dynamic and high‑performance environment. Define and implement category strategies for MRO, aligning with business objectives and operational needs. Drive standardization of parts and services across sites to reduce complexity and cost. Monitor market trends and emerging technologies to identify opportunities for innovation and efficiency.
• Supplier Management – Develop and execute sourcing and supplier management strategies utilizing global supply partners that deliver the technology and supplier performance to meet current and future business needs. Proactively identify and mitigate risks. Drive supplier performance improvements to resolve gaps, putting the business at risk. Foster successful, collaborative relationships, and facilitate early involvement in development to spur innovation. Manage supplier relationships, including performance reviews, contract compliance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Cost and Contract Management – Own the commercial relationship with suppliers, developing and managing contracts, leading negotiations, managing pricing for components and tooling to optimize profitability while maintaining successful business relationships, and effectively managing the internal cost budgeting and forecasting process. Develop and execute multi‑year category strategies for MRO spend, including tools, consumables, spare parts, safety supplies, Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and services. Drive total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis, demand management, and spend visibility across MRO categories. Track and report category performance, savings, KPIs, and supplier metrics.
• Project Management – Manage projects for new product development, cost reduction, or strategic change in a proactive, collaborative, thorough, and detail‑oriented manner to ensure quality, cost and timing requirements are achieved. Lead strategic sourcing events (RFPs, RFQs, negotiations) to deliver cost savings, risk mitigation, and service improvements. Identify and mitigate supply risks, ensuring business continuity for essential operations. Drive compliance with safety, quality, and sustainability standards in the supply base.
• Cross‑functional Collaboration – Facilitate effective communication with stakeholders across the engineering, manufacturing, quality, finance, and service organizations, working as a partner with these functions to drive execution for the overall benefit of the company. Partner with maintenance, operations, and engineering teams to understand demand, standardize specifications, and improve inventory management.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years of experience in sourcing, supply chain management, or engineering.
• BS/BA in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Operations Management or related business field.
• Experience working in a global organization with a matrix structure.
• Experience in manufacturing, industrial, facilities management, or multi‑site operations.
• Knowledge of inventory management, reliability, or maintenance practices.
• Prior experience leading and managing a team of sourcing professionals.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certification (CPSM, CPIM, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt is highly desired).
• MBA is preferred.
• Six Sigma Green Belt desirable.
• Familiarity with Office suite products especially Excel; Power Bi is desired.
• Experience with an ERP system; Oracle is preferred.

Working Conditions

Hybrid work environment (minimum 3 days in office per week). Travel up to 10% for supplier visits and site support.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking and execution
• Influencing without authority
• Data‑driven decision making
• Supplier relationship management
• Continuous improvement mindset

Salary & Benefits

The hiring range for this position is $86,500 to $126,800 annually. The actual base pay offered will vary based on multiple factors including job‑related knowledge/skills, relevant experience, business needs, and geographic location. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the specifics of the candidate’s qualifications and the business context. In addition to base pay, this position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. This position is eligible to participate in Brunswick's comprehensive and high‑quality benefits offerings, including medical, dental, vision, paid vacation, 401k (up to 4% match), Health Savings Account (with company contribution), well‑being program, product purchase discounts and much more. Details about our benefits can be found here.

Why Brunswick

Brunswick Corporation is a leader in the marine industry, and we’re looking for people just like you to take part in the movement towards better boating for all. We rely on the thoughtful input of people from all backgrounds to create compelling, innovative products for our customers around the globe. As such, diversity, equity, and inclusion are priorities in the enduring culture of our company. As a world leader in emerging recreational products and technologies, when you join our team, you become part of some of the most innovative, forward‑looking brands in the marine industry today.

About Mercury Marine

Headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Mercury Marine® is the world’s leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion engines. A division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), Mercury provides engines, boats, services and parts for recreational, commercial and government marine applications. Mercury empowers boaters with products that are easy to use, extremely reliable and backed by the most dedicated customer support in the world. The company’s industry‑leading brand portfolio includes Mercury outboard engines, Mercury MerCruiser® sterndrive and inboard packages, Mercury propellers, Mercury inflatable boats, Mercury SmartCraft® electronics, Land 'N' Sea marine parts distribution and Mercury and Quicksilver® parts and oils. More information is available at MercuryMarine.com.

Next is Now!

We value growth and development, recognizing that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job.

Equity & Inclusion

Brunswick is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is key to innovation and inspiration and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.

Accommodations

If you require accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact [e-mail] for support.

Privacy and Support

Brunswick and Workday Privacy Policies – Brunswick does not accept applications, inquiries or solicitations from unapproved staffing agencies or vendors. For help, please contact our support team at: [e-mail] or 866-278-6942. All job offers will come to you via the candidate portal you create when applying through a posted position through https:///www.brunswick.com/careers. If you are ever unsure about what is being required of you during the application process or its source, please contact HR Shared Services at 866-278-6942 or [e-mail].