Procurement Category Manager I

Do you want to take responsibility and make a difference with your work? With your expertise, we can achieve great goals together. We are WACKER - Reliable. Determined. Ambitious. As one of the world's most research-intensive chemical companies, we've been making countless products that are an integral part of your everyday life possible for over 100 years. From vegan food to resource-efficient buildings to solar cells, we develop sustainable solutions that change the future.

About the Role

We are currently seeking a Procurement Category Manager I/II to be part of our team in Charleston, TN or Ann Arbor, MI. This position provides functional leadership for the Electrical, Instrumentation and Controls (EIC) procurement segment and facilitates continuous improvement. The role builds effective partnerships between WACKER internal customers and suppliers to deliver competitive total cost of ownership, reliable supply, quality, compliance, and timely delivery of key materials and services.

The position may be filled as Category Manager I or Category Manager II based on the selected candidate's relevant experience, demonstrated capability, segment scope, contract complexity, and ability to operate independently. A Category Manager II is expected to set and drive strategy for the EIC segment, negotiate highly complex agreements, lead upper-management stakeholder reviews, support regional and global initiatives, and serve as a recognized expert.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies for the EIC procurement segment.
• Lead sourcing, tendering, negotiation, and contracting activities.
• Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders and manage supplier performance.
• Support Procurement monthly reports, KPIs, forecasts, audits, complaints, claims, evaluations, and other governance requirements.
• Conduct business tenders and lead joint meetings with stakeholders to review requirements, specifications, new or existing sources of supply, forecasts, and recommendations for reduced procurement spend.
• Develop and implement negotiation strategies that satisfy the objectives of Wacker sites.
• Negotiate and draft contracts and contract amendments.
• Research and understand market conditions, supplier performance, and economic forecasts; keep business informed regarding economic conditions, market shifts, lead times, and pricing patterns.
• Perform tactical tasks in SAP.
• Participate in strategy preparation and cost reduction initiatives.
• Schedule periodic reviews, supplier visits, and attend industry-specific events.
• Assigned EIC categories include DCS, valves, electrical materials, motors and drives, power engineering and generation, and process analytics.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or a related field preferred. An electrical, instrumentation, controls, automation, or other relevant technical background is beneficial.
• Category Manager I: 5+ years of relevant procurement, category management, contracting, EIC, or related experience.
• Category Manager II: 7+ years of relevant experience, including demonstrated ownership of complex categories, segment strategy, and highly complex negotiations.
• Professional procurement, supply management, contract management, project management, or relevant technical certification preferred.
• Experience in procurement or sourcing materials.
• Must be willing to travel 10-20%.
• Excellent persuasive, presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to communicate effectively at all organizational levels.
• Strong analytical, financial, market-research, cost-modeling, and total-cost-of-ownership capabilities; able to convert complex commercial and technical data into clear recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience with category strategy, RFQ/tender processes, supplier selection, statements of work, contract drafting, contract administration, and commercial risk management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to lead cross-functional reviews involving Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, and other stakeholders. Category Manager II must be comfortable leading reviews for upper management.
• Advanced negotiation and problem-solving skills; ability to read, understand, draft, and negotiate legally binding agreements in coordination with Legal and other subject-matter experts.
• Ability to build supplier relationships, conduct performance reviews and evaluations, challenge business requirements constructively, and drive measurable value, standardization, and high-performance standards.
• Ability to work effectively in a global matrix organization.
• Category Manager I works with appropriate guidance on low-to-medium complexity matters; Category Manager II works with a high degree of independence, supports global initiatives, and is viewed as an expert.

Additional Requirements

• Previous experience procuring electrical, instrumentation, controls, automation, power engineering, process analytics, or related technical equipment and services preferred.
• Experience leading cross-functional EIC category teams, supplier performance reviews, sustainability objectives, and regional or global procurement initiatives preferred; demonstrated leadership of complex initiatives expected for Category Manager II.
• Proficiency with SAP, Ariba, Microsoft Office applications, and data/analytics tools, with the ability to learn additional procurement and reporting systems.

Benefits

WACKER strives to reward its employees in a fair and equitable manner. Our Total Rewards Package considers employee wellbeing and includes:

• Compensation and Incentive plans.
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance effective day 1.
• Paid Time Off in addition to personal days and holidays.
• Paid parental leave.
• Wellbeing fund.
• Flexible hybrid work arrangements.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Education Assistance Program.
• Career development and advancement opportunities.
• Support for Community Involvement.