Category Manager Indirect

Vanderlande Industries•Atlanta, GA

16h

About The Position

Introduction Vanderlande is seeking a new Category Manager CAPEX/Facilities/Prof. Services to drive strategic category management across our procurement activities. You will be part of the Procurement department and report directly into the Head of Global Indirect Spend. As Category Manager, you will develop and execute category strategies to optimize and enhance our procurement activities, aligning them with business needs. Your leadership will be critical in managing complex sourcing events and fostering strong supplier relationships to ensure our procurement activities align with business objectives and ethical standards. Our global procurement organization enables our projects and business functions by maximizing value and minimizing risks via the procurement of goods and services in the most smart, cost-effective and sustainable way. We ensure a resilient and competitive supplier ecosystem and aim to advance towards best-in-class practices, and ensure the organization is efficient, effective, and future-proof. Furthermore, our procurement organization plays an important role in Vanderlande's transformation from an Engineer-to-Order (ETO) to a Configure-to-Order (CTO) business model. This new model aims at enhancing value for its customers through increased standardization, scalability, and more competitive solutions. What will you be doing? As a Category Manager, you will lead strategic initiatives to optimize category performance, focusing on cost savings, stakeholder collaboration and supplier relationship management. You will set up and coordinate cross-functional category teams (e.g., with Facilities, HR), develop and implement optimal category strategies, lead complex sourcing events, and ensure compliance with sourcing policies and legal requirements. Your role is crucial in aligning category activities with Vanderlande's strategic goals and integrating them effectively across the procurement domain.

Requirements

A strong background (+ 5 Years) in procurement or supply chain management, with a proven track record in category management and strategic sourcing
Knowledge and practical experience with strategic sourcing methodologies and tools, potentially validated through a certification (e.g., APICS, CPSM, SCMP)
Experience in leading complex sourcing events and negotiations, with the ability to set clear objectives and evaluate supplier proposals effectively
Knowledge of sourcing policies, ethical guidelines, and legal requirements to ensure compliance in all procurement activities
Excellent collaboration skills to work closely with internal stakeholders, suppliers, and legal teams to ensure compliance and alignment with business objectives
Leadership qualities to guide and develop the category team, managing Category Coordinators and collaborating with Supplier Relationship Managers
Ability to travel internationally up to 15% of the time

Responsibilities

Develop and coordinate category strategy in alignment with category cluster strategy, setting up cross-functional category teams (e.g., with Facilities, HR), analyzing internal business needs, coordinating supply market research, identifying new suppliers, recognizing opportunities for cost savings in your assigned categories and commissioning detailed cost analysis if required.
Lead complex sourcing events, setting up cross functional sourcing event teams, overseeing the creation of RfX documents, setting selection and awarding criteria, validating the longlist of suppliers, evaluating proposals, shortlisting suppliers for further negotiations, conducting negotiations, and awarding contracts
Coordinate light strategic sourcing events (e.g., Light Tendering, Spot-Buys, Auctions) that are executed by the Centre of Excellence (CoE), analyzing scope and requirements, validating sourcing request forms, shortlisting suppliers, conducting negotiations, and recommending suppliers for award
In collaboration with Legal, oversee the creation of contracts and enforce the use of contract templates for the legal engagement of suppliers
Initiate and oversee supplier onboarding for new suppliers
Own and be accountable for the overall performance of suppliers within your assigned category cluster and assigned categories, fostering collaboration and managing risks effectively
Initiate and oversee the claims process with suppliers, when necessary, to address performance issues, quality defects, or contractual non-compliance
When required, review details within Purchase Requisitions (PR) for non-catalog items and request clarification from requester(s)
Develop, implement, and maintain the required policies for your categories, ensuring alignment with business objectives, ethical guidelines, and legal requirements
Accountable for actively managing Item Master Data for your assigned categories (suppliers, items, catalogs, prices, etc.) with support from MDM Specialists
Identify, assess, and implement activities within the designated category that can be transitioned to the Center of Excellence (CoE) to enhance operational support and efficiency.
Responsible for ensuring mutual alignment and effective communication between global and regional category teams to maintain consistent strategies and maximize global leverage