Buyout Category Manager

Vertiv•Westerville, OH

17h

About The Position

The Category Manager Buyout leads Vertiv’s Buyout/Drop Ship Procurement Program, overseeing commercial execution, supplier engagement, cost negotiation and process governance across multiple category projects. This role ensures buyout transactions are cost-competitive, compliant with established thresholds, and aligned with Vertiv’s strategic goals for margin improvement, visibility, and supplier performance. The position serves as the primary bridge between Application Engineering, Offering Management, Procurement, and Strategic Suppliers.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
4-8 years of procurement, supplier management, or purchasing experience.
Experience in RFQ/quote-to-order processes within a manufacturing or project-driven organization.
Excellent coordination and negotiation skills across cross-functional teams.
Strong analytical ability with familiarity in Power BI and ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, or equivalent.)
Proficient in advanced Excel and data analysis.

Responsibilities

Manage the end-to-end Buyout/Drop Ship Process across multiple categories.
Ensure smooth RFQ flow, quote validation, cost negotiation, and pricing accuracy in ERP and ETO systems.
Assess and optimize the current buyout process, ensuring successful implementation of the updated approach across multiple categories.
Act as the central liaison between Application Engineering, Procurement, Offering, and Service teams to streamline quoting and delivery.
Drive source selection and execute e-sourcing for buyouts in close collaboration with the Applications Engineering team.
Engage suppliers for timely, competitive quotations and improved lead-time visibility to align with customer order timeline.
Collaborate with service teams to uphold Vertiv’s high standards for installation and service quality as the primary escalation contact for buyout products.
Maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers.
Collaborate and maintain Power BI dashboards to track cost performance by supplier and project.
Support financial targets, including established annual savings and margin improvement.
Conduct e-RFQ, e-Auctions for price check and market competitiveness.
Collaborate with the global team to develop and execute regional strategies to enhance Vertiv’s market position.
Maintain compliance with the buyout process in the ERP system, including expiration rules and price revalidation.
Lead quarterly reviews with Procurement, Application Engineering, and Offering to evaluate buyout process effectiveness.
Identify automation or standardization opportunities to reduce manual touchpoints and RFQ delays.
Present program savings performance summaries to the leadership team.