Category Manager

Position Overview

The Category Manager leads strategic sourcing and category management for selected categories across a rigid packaging manufacturing platform. This role is responsible for value creation (e.g. driving cost reduction, risk mitigation, working capital improvements and overall supplier performance) across direct and indirect spend categories.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Cost Management

• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies aligned with enterprise cost-reduction and margin-improvement objectives.

• Identify and deliver year-over-year savings through sourcing events, supplier management initiatives (e.g. negotiations, specification optimization, and demand management, etc.). Act as key first line contact with suppliers in negotiations, risk management and day-to-day activities.

• Build should-cost models and market intelligence to support negotiations and development of annual budget. Provide key inputs to develop and implement annualized GPI (general price increase) to customers.

Supplier Management

• Lead supplier selection, qualification, and consolidation initiatives across assigned categories.

• Negotiate master supply agreements, pricing structures, rebates, working capital programs (terms optimization & inventory programs) and service-level agreements.

• Manage supplier performance using Scorecards & KPIs focused on cost, quality, delivery, and service

• Partner with suppliers on continuous improvement, innovation, and risk mitigation

Operational & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, and Finance to align sourcing strategies with plant needs

• Support new product introductions, plant expansions, and capital projects from a sourcing and supplier perspective

• Drive standardization of materials, suppliers, and specifications across multiple facilities

Governance, Analytics & Process Improvement

• Own spend analysis and category reporting, ensuring transparency and tracking of savings vs. targets

• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, contracts, and internal controls

• Support integration efforts for acquisitions, including supplier onboarding and spend rationalization as well as realization of procurement synergies

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field

• 5+ years of procurement or strategic sourcing experience in a manufacturing environment

• Proven experience managing indirect and packaging-related spend categories

• Strong negotiation, contract management, and supplier management skills

• Advanced analytical capabilities (Excel, spend analysis tools, ERP systems)

• Ability to travel to manufacturing sites and suppliers as needed

• Experience in rigid packaging, plastics, or industrial manufacturing, preferred

• Prior experience in a private equity–owned or highly cost-focused environment, preferred

• Familiarity with multi-plant sourcing strategies and post-acquisition integration, preferred