Global Category Strategy Lead

Guardian Industries; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Education assistance

Parental leave

Job summary

Guardian Glass in Auburn Hills, MI is seeking a Global Category Manager to lead strategic sourcing and supplier relationships across engineering, operations, and finance. You will shape long‑term category strategies, drive negotiations, and align contracting with business objectives.

The role requires experience in capital equipment or project‑based sourcing, strong stakeholder influence, and the ability to manage complex, cross‑functional initiatives in a global environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, category management, or a related commercial discipline.
• Experience developing commercial strategies and leading supplier negotiations and contracts.
• Working knowledge of total cost of ownership, lifecycle economics, or investment‑case analysis.
• Experience influencing and communicating across technical, operational, financial, and legal stakeholders in a global or matrixed organization.

Responsibilities

• Partner with stakeholders to develop and refine long‑term category and supplier strategies.
• Coordinate with technical, financial, legal, and commercial stakeholders to align specifications, proposals, and contracts.
• Lead commercial and contracting strategies for assigned categories, including capital equipment and project scopes.
• Develop supplier qualification, performance, and relationship‑management approaches.
• Identify, communicate, and mitigate supply, commercial, compliance, and continuity risks.
• Build total-cost-of-ownership models to support investment decisions.
• Lead major negotiations and enable regional sourcing teams to execute category strategies.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier negotiations

Total cost of ownership

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Guardian Glass in Auburn Hills, MI is seeking a Global Category Manager to lead strategic sourcing and supplier relationships across engineering, operations, and finance. You will shape long‑term category strategies, drive negotiations, and align contracting with business objectives.

The role requires experience in capital equipment or project‑based sourcing, strong stakeholder influence, and the ability to manage complex, cross‑functional initiatives in a global environment.