Senior Category Manager

About the role

The Sr. Category Manager, Facilities, Energy & Sustainability position will be working out of Olive Branch, MS. is responsible for identifying, recommending, and implementing strategic initiatives that deliver cost savings, cost avoidance, risk reduction, and service-level improvement across key indirect spend categories.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex Indirect categories by working with business partners to develop strategies around contracting, negotiation, communication, supplier selection, supplier governance, and ongoing value delivery.
• Serve as the category expert for facilities, maintenance, waste and recycling, utilities, renewable energy, managed print, corporate mailroom, and print center categories. Use market intelligence, spend analytics, supplier capability assessments, and performance data to understand market drivers, supplier base, category spend, service levels, and improvement opportunities.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies that support cost savings, cost avoidance, operational reliability, sustainability targets, carbon neutral goals, green energy goals, and waste diversion goals.
• Lead competitive events, supplier negotiations, and contract renewals for complex and often multi-million-dollar agreements. Partner with Legal to incorporate appropriate commercial protections, service level commitments, sustainability requirements, data/reporting obligations, and performance remedies.
• Perform market analysis, financial analysis, should-cost modeling, and supplier risk assessments to determine business risk, cost drivers, and sourcing opportunities across assigned categories.
• Identify new sources of supply and develop optimal pricing methodologies for labor, materials, services, utilities, energy, recycling rebates, waste hauling, print, and mailroom services. Utilize the most strategic supply chain model to acquire products and services at the maximum level of value.
• Manage and enhance supplier performance through standardized processes, scorecards, business reviews, continuous improvement efforts, and corrective action plans to obtain optimal results related to quality, cost, delivery, service, compliance, and sustainability.
• Develop supplier scorecards, service level agreements, key performance indicators, and reporting processes, including metrics related to savings, avoided cost, service quality, uptime, diversion rates, emissions, energy consumption, rebates, and contract compliance.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to translate business needs into sourcing plans, implementation roadmaps, governance routines, and measurable outcomes.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and pipeline development by maintaining visibility into spend, savings opportunities, contract expirations, market trends, and supplier performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance, Business or similar field
• At least 7+ years of sourcing, procurement, category management, supplier management, facilities services, utilities, energy, sustainability, or related indirect spend experience
• This is an onsite and in office role
• Experience in contract strategy and negotiation, including knowledge of commercial terms and conditions, service level agreements, indemnity, insurance, pricing structures, renewal language, termination rights, audit rights, and performance remedies
• Experience using market data, indexes, benchmarking tools, utility/energy pricing structures, supplier reporting, and spend analytics to support sourcing recommendations
• Strong analytical and advanced planning skills, including comfort with cost modeling, bid analysis, baseline development, savings validation, and supplier performance reporting
• Ability to manage multiple projects across different areas of the business while balancing cost, service, risk, and sustainability objectives

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business
• Advanced negotiation strategy development and execution
• Strong leadership characteristics and excellent communication skills
• Ability to collaborate, influence and build strong working relationships with internal and external customers
• Strategic thinking and ability to formulate and translate strategies into plans that can be effectively executed
• Demonstrated experience in managing multiple projects across different areas of the business
• Consistent drive for results
• Strong analytical and advanced planning skills
• Proven track record of delivering large savings projects
• Solid understanding of financial analysis and cost modeling
• Ability to bring creativity and innovation to problem solving
• Ability to independently run projects end to end and overcome internal and external obstacles
• Ability to work with all levels and functions within the Company
• Leverage of Lean / Six Sigma

Skills

• Strategic sourcing
• Category management
• Supplier governance
• Supply chain management techniques

Benefits

• Generous discount on all Williams-Sonoma, Inc. brand products
• 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities
• Paid vacations, Employee Assistance Programs, Time Off to Volunteer, Matching Gifts Community Service Program, and Holidays (in some locations)
• Health benefits, dental and vision insurance, including same-sex domestic partner benefits, Legal and Identity Protection Plans and Pet Insurance