Global Category Manager, Sterilization & Cross-Linking

Zimmer Biomet; Warsaw (IN); On-site; USD 115,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Zimmer Biomet is seeking a Category Manager to lead end-to-end sourcing and commercial strategy for outsourced sterilization and cross-linking services. You will translate business, quality, regulatory, operational, and technology requirements into category plans that strengthen supply continuity and enable innovation.

This role owns the commercial relationship and category execution while partnering with Operations, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Engineering, Finance, and Legal to drive cost

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, business, engineering, science, or a related discipline.
• At least 5+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, category management, supplier management, operations, engineering, or a related field, including ownership of complex sourcing initiatives.
• Demonstrated success developing category or supplier strategies, leading competitive sourcing, negotiating complex agreements, and delivering measurable business value.
• Experience working in a regulated or highly controlled manufacturing environment, such as medical devices, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, or another life-science sector.
• Strong commercial, analytical, project management, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to convert data into decisions and action plans.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to lead cross‑functional, global teams.
• Proficiency with enterprise resource planning, spend analytics, Microsoft Excel, and presentation tools.

Responsibilities

• Execute a global, multi-year category strategy and sourcing roadmap for sterilization and cross-linking services, including supplier, capacity, geographic, and technology plans.
• Lead sourcing events, supplier selection, commercial evaluation, and negotiations across ethylene oxide, gamma, electron beam, X-ray, steam, and cross-linking services.
• Build category intelligence using spend, demand, capacity, cost-driver, regulatory, technology, and supply-market data; translate insights into clear recommendations and executable actions.
• Create total-cost models and deliver sustainable value through pricing mechanisms, capacity commitments, minimum volumes, storage, turnaround times, warranties, service levels, change notification, business continuity, and performance remedies.
• Build strategic supplier relationships and lead governance through scorecards, quarterly business reviews, executive reviews, and corrective action follow-up across cost, quality, service, capacity, innovation, and risk.
• Identify and quantify supply risks, including single-source exposure, constrained capacity, site concentration, geopolitical risk, regulatory change, and business interruption; lead mitigation plans such as second sourcing, alternate sites, and alternate technologies.
• Partner with technical and quality functions on supplier and site qualifications, validation plans, change controls, product transfers, and regulatory-impact assessments while maintaining clear ownership of sourcing and commercial deliverables.
• Integrate long-range demand, product launches, network changes, and supplier capacity plans to anticipate contraints and secure capacity before business needs become urgent.
• Monitor emerging sterilization and cross-linking technologies and supplier investments, then connect relevant opportunities to the technology roadmap and product strategy.
• Lead cross-functional projects with defined scope, milestones, owners risks, decisions, and executive-level status reporting; escal…
• Ensure sourcing activity complies with Zimmer Biomet policies, quality requirements, ethical standards, and applicable laws and regulations.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Sourcing

Negotiation

Data analysis

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in supply chain, business, engineering, science, or related discipline

Tools

ERP systems

Excel

Job description

Zimmer Biomet is seeking a Category Manager to lead end-to-end sourcing and commercial strategy for outsourced sterilization and cross-linking services. You will translate business, quality, regulatory, operational, and technology requirements into category plans that strengthen supply continuity and enable innovation.

This role owns the commercial relationship and category execution while partnering with Operations, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Engineering, Finance, and Legal to drive cost