Strategic Sourcing Category Lead - Olathe

We’re a company that cares—about leading in construction, engineering, manufacturing, and renewable energy; redefining energy design, application, and consumption; and thoughtfully growing to meet market demands. As one of the “Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America,” we focus on the mind, body, and soul of our team members through our Culture of Care.

About the role

The Strategic Sourcing Category Lead manages the development and implementation of a strategic procurement strategy, partnering with key stakeholders across the business. You will develop, communicate, and implement comprehensive category strategies to ensure projects deliver on risk, quality, cost, and other value drivers while collaborating with cross-functional teams. This role also involves developing and updating market intelligence on key suppliers and solutions.

Responsibilities

• Act as the expert for respective categories through a complete understanding of industry, competition, future technologies, and innovations.
• Develop, issue, and manage Request for Proposal (RFP) or bid processes for sourcing goods and services to achieve savings based on targeted specifications.
• Develop, lead, assess, and execute purchasing strategies related to commodity materials across all business groups.
• Negotiate corporate programs with strategic suppliers and develop new alliances to meet business needs.
• Participate in cost-reduction activities, observe and report price increases.
• Assess risk to suppliers and materials, recommending risk mitigation plans.
• Qualify alternative supply sources for key products and services based on risk mitigation, cost opportunities, etc.
• Support internal quarterly vendor reviews to address supplier challenges, including corrective action plans, alternate sourcing strategies, and contract adherence.
• Support external Quarterly Business Reviews with preferred vendors, providing performance feedback on quality, service, and cost, with actionable initiatives for improvement.
• Act as a change agent—identify new tools, analyses, and strategies to drive continuous transformation within the sourcing organization.
• Drive communication, data collection, continuous improvement, and relationships within the organization for purchases.
• Identify, build, and maintain mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, and alliances with select suppliers through Supplier Relationship Management programs.
• Meet or exceed profit plan goals related to categories: cost savings, raw material economics, quality, supplier rationalization, and other agreed-upon objectives.
• Demonstrate exceptional customer service to internal and external customers.
• Analyze key sourcing KPIs, spend data, and vendor performance scores.
• Aid the business in supplier problem resolution for respective commodities.
• Act as the primary point of contact for personnel to resolve supplier issues.
• Manage relationships with key suppliers to maintain quality of goods, timely delivery, and compliance with contract terms.
• Facilitate involvement of supplier technical support resources for projects.
• Identify opportunities to utilize supplier-driven innovation in designs.
• Facilitate the development and implementation of standardized specifications between suppliers and design teams.
• Collaborate with internal resources to ensure sufficient information for effective sourcing activities.
• Review supplies to ensure quality.
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 2 years in a strategic sourcing role.
• Proficiency in PC and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strategic sourcing experience.
• Knowledge of the electrical construction trade is beneficial but not required.
• Travel: 10-30%, as required.

Schedule

This position works between the hours of 7 AM and 5 PM, Monday through Friday, with a schedule sufficient to meet the expectations of the role.

Benefits

We provide industry-leading benefits as an investment in the lives of team members and their families. Benefits include:

• Competitive, merit-based compensation.
• Career path development and continued education programs.
• A flexible and robust benefits package for regular/full-time team members (full list available upon employment).