Global Category Manager, SAM

About the role

This position will manage our Superabsorbent (SAM) spend category, primarily supporting our North American business segment. This position has direct accountability for the strategic sourcing of $250 million annually from a global supply base.

Responsibilities

• Category Strategy Development and execution of global category strategies aligned to business need(s).
• Communicate on a regular basis to all key internal stakeholders.
• Provide on-going, expert level, supply category knowledge and insights into each North America accountable business unit (ABU).
• Commercial negotiation of supply contracts on behalf of Kimberly-Clark.
• Create pre-negotiation strategy including company’s Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA).
• Experience creating pre-negotiation strategy including company’s Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA).
• Able to construct value stream (profit margin) industry maps and build market comparable cost analysis.
• Set annual targets for total value creation including safety, quality, service, capacity, sustainability, social responsibility, and cost objectives for each supplier.
• Maintain an understanding of global benchmarks for key operating performance measures and best practices.
• Identify and execute projects with large potential impact to business results.
• Supplier Relationship Management
• Global leadership for supplier collaboration and innovation in alignment with long-term business strategies.
• Identify, cultivate, and develop suppliers that can become strategic partners.
• Manage supplier risk assessments, qualifications and on-boarding activities in category areas.
• Partner with business teams to lead “top-to-top” supplier relationships.
• Ensure quality & risk management, including Supplier Code of Conduct and Social Responsibility, compliance per defined internal controls and policies in category area.
• Drive overall performance management through the effective utilization of monthly scorecards and supplier corrective action processes.
• Project and Business Support
• Influence and support major supply chain initiatives for product sourcing and moves.
• Manage category risk around global shortages and supply chain disruptions.
• Lead the business and stakeholders with commodity analysis and forecasting, financial forecasting, inflation reporting and spend/supplier analytics.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, engineering or related discipline.
• An MBA is a plus.
• 8 plus years of experience in supply chain cross-functional roles or sourcing.
• Operates with limited business direction, experience working within a matrix organization and effectively managing through ambiguous situations.
• Demonstrated knowledge and extensive experience in a major sourcing commodity group.
• Strong strategic sourcing and negotiation skills, with solid proven experience in global procurement/supply chain organizations.
• Ability to work cross-functionally across multiple business lines, including a depth of knowledge in category strategy development and implementation.
• Experience in effectively managing and prioritizing multiple deliverables.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 25%, including occasional international travel.