Category Manager - Logistics and Distribution

Summary

This Category Manager - Logistics & Distribution is a strategic individual contributor role within the procurement function focuses on collaborating with key stakeholders to develop, execute, and manage category spend strategies. The goal is to ensure supply at the best overall value to HSC. The role encompasses strategic sourcing and category management activities for assigned spend categories, serving as the business manager for the spend. The individual will have oversight and influence on the overall procurement strategy, build collaborative relationships with business functions, and act as an advisor on market trends, pricing, and risk mitigation.

Essential Functions

• Responsible for supplier relationship management activities with a strategic contract manufacturing partner
• Strategic sourcing and category management of the warehousing, transportation and logistics spends with the overall objective to create total cost advantage for the company.
• Actively manage spend categories in a product line manager type of an approach continuously reviewing spend data, market data and trends, supply sources and adjusts strategies to maximize both short and long-term business objectives.
• Works closely with the Procurement Manager, fellow Category Managers and Buyers to ensure alignment of strategies, a uniform approach to the procurement function and to support teamwork across the function.
• Builds upstream and downstream cross-functional relationships with business functions, external partners and strategic suppliers.
• Represents procurement on assigned strategic projects and/or initiatives for the company.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Function as the company’s “business manager” of a spend area.
• Collaborate with business functions to develop and challenge requirements.
• Provide review of supply agreements and negotiate with suppliers.
• Develop supplier relationship management (SRM) strategies for key suppliers to drive value.
• Lead ongoing supplier performance management using supplier scorecards.
• Establish category targets with the Procurement Manager and be accountable to targets.
• Drive category knowledge development and maintain category profiles for key spends.

Skills

• Category Knowledge - Advanced understanding of assigned categories, supplier situation, market drivers, local or regional impacts and overall pricing pressures.  Studies the larger regional or global market situation, keeps current with market / industry news and keeps peers current with relevant information.
• Financial Acumen - Advanced understanding manufacturing process, cost structures and cost drivers in order to help set category strategies that deliver maximum overall value to the company.  Ability to propose qualified alternative sources with potential improved financial benefit.
• Stakeholder and Cross-functional Relationships - Excel at building relationships with end-users and stakeholders for assigned categories.  Viewed as a "Product Line Manager" by other functions and takes the lead on ensuring collaboration with them to gather information, review with the appropriate parties, set a strategy and execute to that strategy.
• Systems Agility - Skilled in using multiple software systems linked to procurement buy channels or workflows to understand spend and supplier analytics. 
• Coaching & Mentoring - Openly shares knowledge with the buyers from both a teamwork or awareness perspective as well as from a development standpoint.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, Office365, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, etc.

Behaviors

• Business Acumen - Understands how our business works and what drives success.  Knowledgeable in current and future policies, practices, trends, technology and information impacting their categories.  Aware of the competition and can apply appropriate strategies to achieve desired results.
• Organizational Agility – Knowledgeable about how the organization works and knows how to get things accomplished through both formal channels and informal networking.  Ability to explain the origin or reasoning behind policies, practices and procedures and understands the culture of the organization.
• Negotiating – Effective at negotiating both pricing and delivery terms as well as basic purchase or service contract language.  Focus is on executing purchases and their associated agreements in the most efficient manner as possible to meet internal customer and stakeholder needs. 
• Dealing with Ambiguity – Effectively manages through change and can readily adapt within a evolving business climate.  Comfortably handles risk and uncertainty without it impeding necessary day-to-day decision-making.
• Planning - Effective in setting goals and objectives as well as planning the necessary resources or data necessary to set category strategies.  Measures performance against goals and regularly evaluates results. 
• Presentation Skills - Effective communicator both inside and outside the organization.  Ability to command attention and manage the audience including being able to adjust the style or delivery if they sense something is not being messaged effectively.  Adept at tailoring the message and presentation to the audience.

Required Work Experience

Minimum 3-5 years of relevant business experience. 
(Procurement, Manufacturing, Commercial, Supply Chain or Engineering Roles) 

Proven stakeholder engagement skills and/or project portfolio leadership experience. 

Aligned experience working within or supporting a manufacturing environment. 

Minimum Required Education/Certification

• Bachelor's Degree Required (in Business, Supply Chain or Engineering)
• ISM or APICS Certification Preferred (CPM, CPSM, CPIM, etc)
   

Minimum Required Work Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant business experience.
  (Procurement, Supply Chain or Engineering Roles)
• Proven stakeholder engagement skills and/or project portfolio leadership experience.
• Aligned experience working within or supporting a manufacturing environment.