Category Manager - Electronics

About the role

As a key member of the Supply Chain team, the Category Manager will lead, develop and implement category and supply resiliency strategies, supplier performance management, contract negotiations, and identify and lead cost savings opportunities to ensure we maintain best value.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute category strategies, with a focus on delivering best overall business value (cost, quality, delivery, technology) for MFT, including:
• Ensuring business requirements are well understood and executed within the category plan
• Establishing how we will use platforming and commonality of technology and materials across products and other ways to simplify our supply base
• Defining expectations for the role our suppliers will play and expectations for them in terms of the level needed from them to provide new technology, participate in new product development and the service levels required to support production and after sales processes
• Partnering with Operations to determine our outsourcing or insourcing roadmap for each category and key components and subassemblies in them
• Geographic expectations for our supply base and levels of localization that can be achieved
• Establish / align resources to support initiatives, defined strategies, and annual budget needs of the organization
• Determine goals and objectives of the team and balance priorities
• Identify and drive continuous improvement, including process and reporting efficiencies
• Report out and establish monthly review meetings, sharing actions and results
• Work with the Procurement operations team to address supplier delivery issues, as needed
• Drive supplier performance and development through proactive utilization of the Supplier Scorecard to benchmark and improve supplier performance through the frequent communication of MFT’s expectations and requirements
• Lead supplier negotiations
• Collaborate cross functionally with leadership of other functions to ensure project success
• Lead the develop the MFT supply strategy, articulate the plan, and execute
• Strategic mindset with the ability to simplify and present complex ideas / concepts
• Strong negotiations skills facilitating the ability to negotiate with diverse set of suppliers across multiple regions and close out negotiations
• Highly detailed with a systematic approach, sense of responsibility and positive customer focus
• Brought forth a continuous improvement mindset
• Provide complex and sophisticated data analysis to drive quick and correct decision-making
• Lead change management efforts around the supply chain process while creating alignment and integration internally and externally
• Take a proactive approach to problem solving

Requirements

• Demonstrated leadership ability, technical knowledge of professional procurement, strong analytical and communication skills
• Ability to plan, organize, and manage complex projects
• Demonstrated experience in project management, organizational and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to indirectly influence cross functional teams ensuring the right solutions for the business
• Intermediate to advanced user of Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Project (highly desirable)
• Requires some travel
• Work under limited direction

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, Business Management, or an equivalent field
• 10+ years of category management experience and procurement related experience, including direct and indirect
• Strong experience with lean manufacturing techniques and processes, that apply to supply chain