Associate Sourcing Category Manager

Medline•Northfield, MN

22h•$73,000 - $110,000

About The Position

This role plays a crucial strategic role in overseeing spend for Medline, managing approximately $50 million in spend. The associate provides strategic insight on geo-political and cost inputs impacting Medline's ability to buy goods on a global scale. The associate will provide best-cost solutions and negotiations by leveraging the global competitive vendor market to ensure Medline works with high-quality suppliers who provide consistent supply and reduce risk to Medline. Be the subject matter expert on assigned product categories and cost inputs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
At least 2 years of sourcing experience.
Experience leading category strategies, supplier relationship management, sourcing initiatives.
Experience negotiating with outside vendors, including negotiating contracts, prices and reconciling differences.
Experienced in documenting procedures and internal controls.
Experience analyzing and reporting data in order to identify issues, trends, or exceptions to drive improvement of results and find solutions.
Experience controlling and coordinating concurrent projects, competing priorities and critical deadlines.
Ability to work across multiple time zones and locations.

Responsibilities

Manage direct spend categories to drive to best-cost, supply continuity and reducing risk.
Negotiate favorable terms, volume discounts and long-term contracts with suppliers and vendor partners.
Leader and owner of category management driving key vendor conversations.
Manage $50M in spend across key medical and raw material categories.
Provide strategic insights on Global and geopolitical changes impacting tariffs, raw materials and regulatory requirements. (Tariff rates, new laws, and natural resources)
Be a product expert on all managed categories including raw material inputs, manufacturing techniques, key vendors.
Understand how Medline product compares to the competition.
Manage and secure cost reductions by working with suppliers on price and potential product development. This can include developing long-term vendor contracts, rebate plans and growth incentives.
Review analysis from Global Sourcing Operations team on vendor and supplier price increases and net against rebates for total impact to the division, and develop negotiation tactics to mitigate all increases.
Leverage souring toolkit and Medline volume to open negotiations, switch to dual source vendor, or develop new vendors globally to mitigate.
Develop and execute a risk profile for each sourced country.
Consider multiple country sourcing, dual sourcing, and geopolitical factors.
Recommend vendors based on that strategic risk assessment.
Develop expertise in assigned product categories and cost inputs, focusing on understanding product requirements, manufacturing processes, and raw materials.
Assist in analyzing cost drivers to support Medline’s goal of achieving the best cost solutions.
Assist in the creation and implementation of a global sourcing strategy to drive vendor performance. Including vendor allocation optimization, re-sourcing and cost containment/reductions for assigned categories.
Work collaboratively with Medline Shanghai, Supply Chain, Quality and Product Management teams to maintain and develop vendors and products to reduce supply risk and ensure a healthy supply chain.
Manage activity for Medline part and vendors numbers.
Establish new part numbers for supplier moves, packaging optimization and PIR's.
Assist the reorder buying group in addressing issues with problem suppliers when communication efforts have not led to resolution.
Support in gathering relevant information and escalating issues as needed to ensure timely resolution.