Category Manager - Chemicals, Gases, Energy & Utilities

Coherent•Saxonburg, CT

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Develop and execute multi-year category strategies for Chemicals & Gases and Energy & Utilities. Lead strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, competitive bidding, pricing initiatives, and contract renewals. Develop and maintain preferred supplier and long-term agreement strategies. Manage strategic supplier relationships and lead supplier performance, governance, and escalation activities. Identify, negotiate, validate, and track savings, cost avoidance, and working capital opportunities. Ensure negotiated savings are translated into executed PO pricing and appropriately reflected through established Procurement and Finance reporting processes. Partner with Finance and Data Analytics to maintain accurate savings methodologies, forecasts, dashboards, and performance reporting. Develop annual savings opportunity pipelines and category forecasts. Support tax exemption, tariff optimization, utility, and other energy cost-reduction initiatives. Support renewable energy programs and sustainability initiatives, including supplier engagement, site coordination, and emissions-related requirements. Coordinate with site managers, GMs, Operations, Finance, Sustainability, and other stakeholders on sourcing and implementation activities. Provide commercial leadership for strategic and higher-risk programs, representing site and business requirements during supplier negotiations. Maintain contract visibility, renewal planning, compliance, and lifecycle governance. Identify opportunities to consolidate fragmented supplier relationships into structured LTAs, preferred supplier agreements, and enterprise-level relationships. Monitor supplier and program KPIs and drive corrective actions where performance does not meet expectations. Standardize commercial terms, including payment terms, and identify opportunities to improve working capital. Provide category forecasts, total-cost guidance, market intelligence, and commercial recommendations to stakeholders. Support Power BI, ASL, and other procurement reporting and preferred-supplier governance processes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, finance, Procurement or a related field required
5+ years Procurement experience
Strong business acumen including structured problem solving, analytical skills, data analysis and solid understanding of strategic sourcing and contract management concepts required
Strong history of thinking systemically, challenging the status quo and building value-based relationships required
Ability to create, communicate and execute a strategic roadmap and influence collaboration and coordination
Ability to multi-task and drive closure of open issues/concerns
Creative and innovative problem solver with significant project management experience
Strong experience in procurement processes and system integration projects
Contract negotiation and management experience and skills
Ability to work collaboratively, prioritize and meet deadlines under pressure
Excellent written and verbal communication skills along with strong interpersonal skills

Responsibilities

Develop and execute multi-year category strategies for Chemicals & Gases and Energy & Utilities.
Lead strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, competitive bidding, pricing initiatives, and contract renewals.
Develop and maintain preferred supplier and long-term agreement strategies.
Manage strategic supplier relationships and lead supplier performance, governance, and escalation activities.
Identify, negotiate, validate, and track savings, cost avoidance, and working capital opportunities.
Ensure negotiated savings are translated into executed PO pricing and appropriately reflected through established Procurement and Finance reporting processes.
Partner with Finance and Data Analytics to maintain accurate savings methodologies, forecasts, dashboards, and performance reporting.
Develop annual savings opportunity pipelines and category forecasts.
Support tax exemption, tariff optimization, utility, and other energy cost-reduction initiatives.
Support renewable energy programs and sustainability initiatives, including supplier engagement, site coordination, and emissions-related requirements.
Coordinate with site managers, GMs, Operations, Finance, Sustainability, and other stakeholders on sourcing and implementation activities.
Provide commercial leadership for strategic and higher-risk programs, representing site and business requirements during supplier negotiations.
Maintain contract visibility, renewal planning, compliance, and lifecycle governance.
Identify opportunities to consolidate fragmented supplier relationships into structured LTAs, preferred supplier agreements, and enterprise-level relationships.
Monitor supplier and program KPIs and drive corrective actions where performance does not meet expectations.
Standardize commercial terms, including payment terms, and identify opportunities to improve working capital.
Provide category forecasts, total-cost guidance, market intelligence, and commercial recommendations to stakeholders.
Support Power BI, ASL, and other procurement reporting and preferred-supplier governance processes.