Global Category Buyer: Manufacturing & Packaging

Surventis; Southfield (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Surventis in Southfield, Michigan is seeking a Global Category Buyer for Contract Manufacturing, Merchandise Goods and Tinplate Packaging. You will lead negotiations, manage supplier relationships, and drive regional category strategies across North America, translating global directives into local execution.

The role requires robust experience in strategic sourcing, contract manufacturing, and supplier governance, with strong English communication and collaboration across cross-functional

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree or equivalent qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Chemistry, Materials, Packaging, Manufacturing, or a related field.
• Relevant experience in procurement, category management, strategic sourcing, supplier management, contract manufacturing, or commercial negotiations.
• Experience with tolling, subcontracting, chemical manufacturing, merchandise goods, industrial packaging, tinplate, steel markets, or private-label products is advantageous.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze spend, market, capacity, margin, specification, and total-cost data and convert findings into implemented results.
• Working knowledge of contracting, procurement governance, supplier risk, manufacturing transfers, packaging specifications, qualification processes, and cross-functional decision-making.
• Proficiency in SAP procurement processes, Excel, PowerPoint, and relevant sourcing, analytics, contract, or reporting tools.
• Strong written and spoken English; additional regional languages are an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate and manage contracts across three assigned categories, using data-driven tactics.
• Lead pricing, tolling or service-fee negotiations, rebates, lead times, and contractual protections.
• Apply governance and procurement methods to complex negotiations and protect confidentiality.
• Track awards, obligations, supplier actions, and implementation milestones.
• Execute category strategies regionally and translate global priorities into roadmaps and plans.
• Coordinate sourcing for new contract-manufacturing projects, including RFx, evaluations, and implementation readiness.
• Manage North American contract-manufacturing relationships and oversee supplier performance.
• Develop and optimize the Merchandise and Tinplate packaging supplier portfolio, promoting cost efficiency.
• Identify regional opportunities for supplier consolidation and value creation.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies and sustainability expectations.

Skills

Negotiation

Category management

Procurement governance

Strategic sourcing

English communication

Education

Bachelor degree or equivalent

Tools

SAP procurement processes

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Surventis in Southfield, Michigan is seeking a Global Category Buyer for Contract Manufacturing, Merchandise Goods and Tinplate Packaging. You will lead negotiations, manage supplier relationships, and drive regional category strategies across North America, translating global directives into local execution.

The role requires robust experience in strategic sourcing, contract manufacturing, and supplier governance, with strong English communication and collaboration across cross-functional