Category Management Direct Manager

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute global category strategies for Metal Frames and Mechanical commodities that align with Vertiv's business objectives, product roadmap, and long-term growth strategy.
• Own the end-to-end category lifecycle, including category planning, supplier segmentation, technology roadmaps, market intelligence, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Lead executive-level commercial negotiations to establish long-term agreements that optimize total cost of ownership, supply continuity, quality, and service performance.
• Develop and maintain a resilient, scalable, and globally competitive supply base through supplier identification, qualification, development, and performance management.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Product Management, and Project Procurement to influence product standardization, manufacturability, and value engineering initiatives.
• Drive supplier innovation, capacity expansion, localization, and low-cost country sourcing strategies to support business growth and improve supply chain competitiveness.
• Monitor global market trends, commodity indices, manufacturing technologies, and geopolitical risks to proactively identify opportunities and mitigate supply chain disruptions.
• Lead supplier business reviews, performance scorecards, executive governance meetings, and continuous improvement initiatives to achieve world-class quality, delivery, and operational excellence.
• Develop should-cost models, benchmarking analyses, and total cost of ownership assessments to support sourcing decisions and drive sustainable productivity improvements.
• Evaluate supplier capabilities, manufacturing processes, financial health, and operational risks to ensure long-term strategic alignment and business continuity.
• Deliver measurable improvements in cost, productivity, working capital, supplier performance, and supply chain resilience while supporting new product introductions and strategic business initiatives.
• Mentor and provide functional leadership to sourcing professionals, fostering best practices in category management, supplier development, and strategic procurement across the organization.
• Effectively prioritize multiple strategic initiatives and lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, global environment while influencing decisions across all levels of the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field; Master's degree (MBA or Engineering Management) preferred.
• Professional certifications such as CPSM, CPM, APICS (CPIM/CSCP), CIPS, or equivalent are preferred.
• 8-10 years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management, or supply chain leadership within a global manufacturing environment, including experience managing complex mechanical or fabricated commodities.
• Demonstrated expertise in metal fabrication, structural steel, mechanical assemblies, machining, welding, sheet metal, and related manufacturing processes.
• Proven success managing multi-million-dollar global spend portfolios and delivering significant, sustainable cost reductions through category strategy, supplier development, should-cost analysis, and total cost of ownership (TCO) optimization.
• Strong experience developing global supply bases, qualifying new suppliers, leading low-cost country sourcing initiatives, and improving supplier capacity and resiliency.
• Exceptional executive-level negotiation, supplier relationship management, and cross-functional leadership skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, and Product Management.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen with experience in should-cost modeling, value engineering (VA/VE), market intelligence, supplier performance analytics, and business case development.
• Advanced proficiency in ERP systems (Oracle, SAP, or equivalent), Power BI, advanced Excel, and data analytics tools.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and strategic planning skills with the ability to lead complex initiatives in a fast-paced, global organization.