Category Manager

Category Manager for Steel and Metal Fabrication

The North America team is seeking an experienced and driven Category Manager for Steel and Metal Fabrication for our North American business. The ideal candidate will join our strategic procurement team to support the delivery of our long-term value creation goal through effective category management, supplier collaboration, and cross-functional leadership of VAVE (Value Analysis/Value Engineering) initiatives.

Your Impact

• Develop and implement category strategies aligned with business objectives and value targets.

• Lead VAVE projects in collaboration with Engineering, Operations, and other cross-functional teams.

• Identify and execute cost reduction opportunities through strategic sourcing, supplier development, and process optimization.

• Manage supplier relationships, performance, and negotiations to ensure quality, delivery, and cost targets are met.

• Conduct market analysis, benchmarking, and risk assessments to inform sourcing decisions.

• Evaluate and select vendors based on TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), not just price.

• Support early supplier involvement in product development and innovation initiatives.

• Execute and manage supplier contracts, ensuring terms are aligned with business needs and compliance requirements.

• Act as a change agent, continuously improving existing procurement processes or developing new ones to enhance efficiency, transparency, and value delivery.

• Analyze market conditions and trends to anticipate sourcing needs, define next steps and proactively manage category strategies.

• Ensure compliance with procurement policies and ethical standards.

Your Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial preferred) or equivalent experience required.

• Minimum 5–7 years of procurement and sourcing experience, ideally in a manufacturing or industrial environment.

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex projects.

• Strong analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.

• Experience with category strategy development, supplier evaluation, and risk management.

• Familiarity with VAVE methodologies and cost modeling.

• Proficiency in procurement systems and tools (e.g., SAP, Excel, Ariba, Power BI).

• Strong project management capabilities, including planning, execution, and stakeholder alignment.

• Ability to influence and collaborate across functions and levels.

• Strategic mindset with attention to operational detail.

• High proficiency in data analysis and market intelligence to support sourcing decisions and long-term planning.

Your Workplace and Travel

You will be working an onsite role based out of Assumption, IL.

We value inclusion and recognize the innovation a diverse workforce delivers to our farmers. Through our recruitment efforts, we are committed to building a team that includes a variety of experiences, backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.

Grain & Protein Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

1. GPT Purpose: Feeding the World Better, through high quality grain and responsibly raised protein

2. GPT Mission: Make Farmers and Agribusiness Managers more productive and more profitable

3. GPT Culture: Winning Values and Winning Behaviors that nurtures a "Winners Win" culture of excellence

4. GPT Approach: Achieve balanced and sustainable success for Employees, Customers, and Owners

Grain & Protein Technologies is a leading global designer, manufacturer, and marketer of reliable, durable, and innovative equipment solutions for grain, seed, poultry, egg, and swine production. Generating $1.1 billion in annual revenue, the Company serves farmers and agribusiness managers in over 100 countries and currently operates 19 manufacturing facilities across 5 continents, employing more than 3600 people.

The Company goes to market with its strong portfolio of industry leading brands – GSI, Cumberland, AP, Tecno, Cimbria, Aerotech, Reventa, and Euroemme. With its Company Purpose of "Feeding the World Better", Grain & Protein Technologies emphasizes advancing smart technologies and offering innovative technical solutions to make farmers and agribusiness managers more productive and profitable in a sustainable way.