Strategic Sourcing Specialist Principal International Ocean, Air & Customs Brokerage

Senior Category Manager International Ocean, Air & Customs Brokerage

The Senior Category Manager International Ocean, Air & Customs Brokerage is responsible for the global sourcing, category strategy, and supplier management of international ocean freight, air freight, and customs brokerage services supporting Honeywell Intelligrated's global project execution and aftermarket operations.

This role leads end-to-end category ownership, ensuring transportation and brokerage strategies optimize total landed cost, delivery reliability, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation across a complex, project-driven supply chain. The position requires deep expertise in global logistics markets, customs brokerage operations, international trade compliance, and strategic sourcing, with the ability to influence across a matrixed Honeywell enterprise.

The Senior Category Manager partners closely with Logistics, Trade Compliance, Engineering, Project Management, Finance, and Operations to ensure global transportation and brokerage capabilities support customer commitments, installation schedules, and business growth.

Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Ownership

• Develop and execute global category strategies for international ocean freight, air freight, and customs brokerage services, aligned with Honeywell Intelligrated business and project delivery objectives.
• Own category roadmaps that balance cost competitiveness, service performance, regulatory compliance, capacity assurance, and supply chain resilience.
• Drive standardization where appropriate while allowing flexibility for project-specific and customer-driven requirements.

Strategic Sourcing & Contract Management

• Lead global sourcing initiatives including RFPs/RFQs, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and awards for international carriers, freight forwarders, and customs brokers.
• Negotiate and manage master service agreements (MSAs), rate structures, SLAs, and compliance requirements across transportation and brokerage providers.
• Ensure contracts reflect Honeywell standards for risk, liability, compliance, cybersecurity, and sustainability.

Customs Brokerage & Trade Enablement

• Own the customs brokerage category, including broker selection, governance, performance management, and continuous improvement.
• Partner closely with Trade Compliance to ensure brokerage strategies align with global customs regulations, Free Trade Agreements, HTS classifications, and country-specific requirements.
• Ensure effective broker support for project cargo, complex machinery, time-critical shipments, and customer-specific delivery constraints.
• Drive consistency in customs processes, documentation quality, clearance cycle times, and audit readiness.

Market Intelligence & Analytics

• Monitor global freight and brokerage market trends, capacity dynamics, regulatory changes, and geopolitical risks.
• Leverage data, indices, and performance metrics to inform sourcing strategies and proactively mitigate disruption risk.
• Develop and maintain category KPIs tied to cost, service, compliance, and schedule adherence.

Stakeholder Partnership

• Collaborate with Logistics, Project Management, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Trade Compliance, and Sourcing leadership to align category strategies with execution needs.
• Act as the primary subject-matter expert for international transportation and brokerage sourcing within Honeywell Intelligrated.
• Support project planning activities where logistics and customs requirements materially impact cost, timing, or feasibility.

Supplier Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Manage supplier performance through scorecards, QBRs, corrective action plans, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Drive accountability for on-time performance, clearance efficiency, issue resolution, cost transparency, and compliance adherence.
• Identify opportunities to improve service reliability, reduce dwell time, and optimize total landed cost.

Risk, Compliance & Resilience

• Identify and mitigate risks related to capacity constraints, port congestion, regulatory changes, geopolitical disruption, and customs delays.
• Ensure adherence to Incoterms, international shipping regulations, customs laws, and Honeywell compliance standards.
• Support internal and external audits related to transportation and customs brokerage activities.

Value Creation & Sustainability

• Deliver measurable cost savings, productivity gains, and service improvements across transportation and brokerage categories.
• Support Honeywell Intelligrated sustainability goals through emissions reduction initiatives, modal optimization, and responsible supplier practices.

Qualifications

YOU MUST HAVE

• 8 or more years of experience in international logistics, strategic sourcing, category management, or trade operations, with ownership of ocean, air, and/or brokerage categories.
• Strong knowledge of global ocean and air freight markets, customs brokerage operations, and freight forwarding models.
• Proven experience negotiating complex global contracts and managing strategic supplier relationships.
• Solid understanding of customs regulations, import/export processes, and international shipping documentation.
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Excel, Power BI, and sourcing platforms (e.g., Coupa, Ariba).
• Excellent communication, stakeholder influence, and project management skills in a matrixed environment.

WE VALUE

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, International Trade, Logistics, or related field (Master's degree or MBA preferred).
• Familiarity with Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), HTS classification, valuation, and global trade compliance programs.
• Experience supporting project-based, engineered-to-order, or capital equipment supply chains.
• Exposure to project cargo, oversized freight, or time-critical customer deliveries.
• Multilingual capabilities or international work experience.

Additional Information

• This role operates within a global, matrixed Honeywell environment and requires strong influence without direct authority.
• Periodic domestic and international travel may be required to support supplier engagement and business needs.

Required Skills

• Category Management
• Negotiation Skills
• Sourcing Strategy Development
• Strategic Sourcing Operation
• Supplier Strategy