Associate Category Manager

Intuitive • Sunnyvale, CA

7d • $108,600 - $183,800 • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Category Manager manages the supply chain for assigned direct-material suppliers and parts to support business continuity and optimization. The role covers sourcing, category strategy roadmaps, contract negotiation, spend analysis, inventory management strategies, commodity intelligence, supplier performance, and potentially limited purchase-order management. It leads cross-functional category teams and identifies or implements Global Supply Chain initiatives.

The role develops supplier strategies aligned with business objectives, supports supplier selection and coordination between production sourcing and new product development, and leads supplier performance, risk, capacity, contract, cost, and operational management activities. It may manage supplier capacity or risk mitigation projects, support plant purchasing and master-data integrity, and mentor supply-chain colleagues.

The position is based on a set schedule and will be onsite weekly, with the percentage of onsite work determined by the leader. Approximately 25% travel to domestic and international suppliers is expected. The stated day shift is listed for the role. Compensation ranges vary by region: $127,800–$183,800 in Region 1 and $108,600–$156,200 in Region 2. The role is an employee position; employment type is treated as full-time because no part-time or other non-full-time arrangement is specified.

Requirements

• Experience applying strategic sourcing principles, including a six-step sourcing process, category strategy development, and collaborative supplier management.
• Strong negotiation skills, a proven savings track record, and thorough understanding of key supplier agreement terms.
• Significant computer experience, including Microsoft Office and ERP systems; strong Excel skills.
• Proven project-management track record in a fast-paced manufacturing company, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects and adapt to changing priorities.
• Thorough knowledge of and experience with kanban systems and other lean principles.
• Working knowledge of buying, material planning, master scheduling, and forecasting.
• Concern for precision and thoroughness.
• Proven ability to consistently achieve stretch goals and objectives.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Bachelor of Science degree or equivalent and 10 or more years of supply-chain experience in a regulated-industry manufacturing environment.
• Approximately 25% travel to domestic and international suppliers.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Medical device industry experience preferred.
• SAP and Agile experience preferred.
• Experience managing spend or suppliers in the relevant category, and/or technical expertise in that category, preferred.
• CPSM, CPIM, and/or PMP certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional category teams and meetings; prioritize projects with the manager and ensure team goals and objectives are achieved.
• Collaborate with the manager, peers, and internal stakeholders to develop long-term supplier strategies, roadmaps, and category strategy reviews aligned with business objectives.
• Co-lead direct procurement supplier selection with Supplier Engineering, identifying suppliers that can provide low total cost of ownership and high-quality products while supporting value improvement.
• Align production supplier requirements and sourcing strategies with new product development to support material availability, risk alignment, cost goals, and long-term category plans.
• Use commodity trend knowledge to propose strategies and educate stakeholders.
• Lead supplier scorecarding, supplier business reviews, and supplier continuous-improvement efforts.
• Coordinate with suppliers and procurement to communicate demand changes and minimize excess inventory and material shortages; escalate supplier issues with manager guidance.
• Develop and implement mitigation plans for assigned suppliers and critical sub-tier suppliers, and lead capacity assessments to identify and proactively mitigate long-term risks.
• May project-manage supplier capacity or risk-mitigation initiatives; develop countermeasures and long-term solutions to identified problems.
• Establish supplier contracts and amendments; negotiate long-term volume pricing, risk mitigation, and capacity agreements.
• Review and manage long-term purchase orders and delivery commitments as needed to meet production or sales requirements.
• Identify and implement cost-reduction opportunities to meet year-over-year category goals.
• Support plant purchasing by negotiating adoption of lean sourcing principles to enable material availability and optimize on-hand inventory.
• Use continuous-improvement techniques to meet purchasing metrics for supplier delivery, quality, risk, inventory velocity, and cost reduction.
• May lead change management or change-order implementation for complex projects.
• Support supplier and part master-data integrity.
• Mentor supply-chain colleagues and identify and address process and training improvement opportunities.
• Travel approximately 25% to domestic and international suppliers.

Benefits

• Market-competitive compensation package including base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level