Associate Category Manager

About the Role

This position has identified internal candidates. The Associate Category Manager supports the category strategy definition for the North America Region, leads its execution for the assigned commodities, supports all manufacturing locations, addresses business needs and challenges, and manages performance for key assigned suppliers. The role facilitates interactions between manufacturing plants, clusters, cross‑functional stakeholders and Procurement to maintain and develop a panel of best‑in‑class suppliers that meet current requirements, future business needs, and technological evolutions, while achieving annual targets for productivity, quality, delivery and supply‑base optimization. • Ensure best quality, cost and delivery conditions for labels, packaging, and fasteners. • Develop and execute commodity strategies for the Fabricated Components Sheet Metal category. • Continuously enhance category expertise and monitor local and global market trends. • Own commercial relationships and performance for assigned suppliers; conduct business reviews and lead annual negotiations. • Identify opportunities and create a pipeline supporting QVE, supplier changes, and supply‑base optimization. • Collaborate with cross‑functional teams on procurement initiatives such as audits, tools, and processes. • Pursue systematic total cost of ownership reductions and value enhancements to drive cost savings and performance improvement. • Track KPIs and deliver reports. • Execute comprehensive RFQ processes and support functional users promptly. • Identify and develop strategic supply sources. • Drive sourcing, standardization, spend control and innovation with suppliers.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸rfq management
• ▸kpi tracking
• ▸cost reduction
• ▸supplier management
• ▸strategy development
• ▸market monitoring

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Mechanical/Industrial/Electronics Engineering (required). • Master’s degree in Business or related field (a plus). • Minimum five years’ experience in procurement, purchasing or supply chain. • Minimum three years’ experience with electronic categories. • Project management experience (desired). • Proven experience in successful procurement supplier negotiations. • Fluent written and spoken English. • Knowledge of legal contracts and risk management (desired). • Demonstrated leadership, influencing ability, and teamwork skills. • Ability to work under pressure, independently and proactively. • Strong strategic thinking, problem‑solving and analytical skills. • Cross‑cultural awareness.

Requirements

• ▸bachelor’s
• ▸master’s
• ▸5+ years
• ▸electronic
• ▸project management
• ▸negotiations

Work Environment

Office Full-Time