Category Lead

Responsibilities:
The Category Lead is responsible for helping drive value through the strategic sourcing and the supplier relationship management processes by independently leading and managing multiple strategic enterprise sourcing initiatives. The applicant must be highly analytical and self-driven with a proven ability leverage their category expertise to negotiate contractual agreements, collect and analyze data, build out cost models, draw conclusions, present findings to drive decisions, and track and manage supplier performance metrics. The Category Lead must possess an ability to work in a fast-paced, changing environment and still meet business performance measures, including timelines for sourcing and contracting activities and planning for future sourcing needs of the business units. The Category Lead reports to the Manager, Category Management.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
Establishing, leading/facilitating, and supporting cross functional category management teams to develop and maintain category plans and ongoing category performance
Manage category-related projects from initiation through implementation, applying project management principles to deliver results on time and within scope.
Developing deep knowledge and experience within assigned spend management responsibilities
Developing spend/performance and external market analyses to monitor category performance and identify performance improvement opportunities
Developing spend and savings/performance improvement forecasts to monitor progress and ensure goals are achieved
Developing plans to capture identified opportunities
Defining category requirements through collaborative efforts with respective stakeholder groups
Collaborating with stakeholder groups to develop consensus on the appropriate category plans and priorities
Leading performance improvement initiatives defined by the category plan including strategic sourcing and other performance improvement initiatives
Establishing, leading/facilitating, and supporting cross functional strategic sourcing/performance improvement teams as needed/prescribed by category plans to achieve savings and performance targets (e.g. reduce cost, improve quality and result in a lower total cost of ownership, meeting supplier diversity goals)
Leading negotiations with suppliers as needed
Maintaining critical supplier agreements including renewals, negotiation of terms, issue identification, tracking and resolution
Supplier Management responsibilities include:
Developing and maintaining supplier criticality ratings and managing resulting critical supplier relationships
Managing supplier relationships including conducting Quarterly Business Reviews with critical suppliers and Client Executive Sponsors
Stakeholder Management responsibilities include:
Developing successful partnerships with key stakeholders / business partners to achieve desired results
Developing and managing cross-functional category management and strategic sourcing teams as needed
Collaborating with stakeholders to drive needed decisions to achieve desired results

Required Qualifications for Position:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or equivalent work related experience
Proven track record to deliver results and achieve goals
Demonstrated ability to develop effective working relationships with others
Experience leading cross-functional teams
Ability to build support and consensus
Proven financial acumen and analytical abilities

Preferred Additional Qualifications for Position:
Experience managing large supplier agreements
Experience working in a Shared Services organization
Supply Chain experience in the utility industry
Knowledgeable in category management and strategic sourcing practices

Notes:
The position follows a hybrid work schedule, with the employee expected to work in-office 3 (three) days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
This is a contract role with the possibility of conversion to full-time based on business needs and performance

VIVA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants have an equal opportunity for placement, and all employees have an equal opportunity to develop on the job. This means that VIVA will not discriminate against any employee or qualified applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.