Director of Procurement, Category Management

Responsibilities

• Lead the Category Management team in the development, negotiation, and execution of overall category strategies.
• Maintain strong collaboration with supplier relationships to ensure contracted categories product performance and service levels are meeting the organization’s business needs.
• Conduct market due diligence and category assessments for contracted categories to develop optimized supply strategies.
• Collaborate with Procurement’s Strategic Sourcing team on the request for proposal process.
• Implement category agreements and strategies, and manage and utilize contracted programs, driving contract and vendor compliance.
• Define key performance indicators to measure supplier performance.
• Benchmark category performance with top industry competitors.
• Lead, coach, and manage the performance of direct and indirect Category Management associates.
• Identify new product and category opportunities, and effectively resolve feedback regarding quality, pricing, or performance.
• Develop and maintain the business review strategy, conducting quarterly and annual assessments to evaluate overall program performance and drive innovation initiatives.
• Negotiate and implement regional and national contracts to support the product and service goals of the organization.
• Ensure the Category Management process maintains proper compliance with Procurement team procedures, Brookdale policies, systems, and controls.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university and a minimum of 5-10 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• CPSM preferred.
• Uses limited independent judgment to make decisions based on precedents and established guidelines.
• Solves problems using standard procedures and precedents.
• Has significant knowledge of an advanced discipline with a working knowledge of related fields.
• Has significant knowledge of the organization, work environment and process.
• Exceptional problem solving and analytical skills.
• Proven success sourcing food categories for a national, multi-location organization including; managing RFPs, vendor relationships, contract compliance, etc.
• Ability to influence and partner with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong analytical background-proficient in Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Word.
• Strong communication and project management skills.
• Research and data analysis-cost structure analysis.
• Willing to make tough decisions and challenge conventional thinking.