Category Manager - Marketing, Meetings & Events

Applied Materials • Santa Clara, CA

57d • $108,000 - $148,500 • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a highly capable and strategic Category Manager to lead sourcing and category management activities across Marketing, Meetings & Events. This role will serve as a trusted business partner to internal stakeholders in a fast paced environment, driving category strategy, supplier performance, commercial rigor, and operational excellence across a dynamic portfolio of services. The ideal candidate brings strong experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, contracting, and stakeholder engagement, with deep expertise in meetings, events, hospitality, venue sourcing, event production, and related services. Experience supporting marketing communications, creative agencies, media, digital marketing, or production services is also valuable. This individual will be expected to proactively identify value opportunities, mitigate risk, support business needs with speed and discipline, and influence stakeholders through data-driven insights and strong category expertise.

Requirements

• Requires specialized depth and/or breadth of expertise
• Interprets internal or external business issues and recommends best practices
• Solves complex problems; takes a broad perspective to identify innovative solutions
• Works independently, with guidance in only the most complex situations. May lead functional teams or projects
• Demonstrates depth and/or breadth of expertise in own specialized discipline or field
• Interprets internal/external business challenges and recommends best practices to improve products, processes or services
• May lead functional teams or projects with moderate resource requirements, risk, and/or complexity
• Leads others to solve complex problems; uses sophisticated analytical thought to exercise judgment and identify innovative solutions
• Impacts the achievement of customer, operational, project or service objectives; work is guided by functional policies
• Communicates difficult concepts and negotiates with others to adopt a different point of view
• Strong experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, contracting, and stakeholder engagement
• Deep expertise in meetings, events, hospitality, venue sourcing, event production, and related services
• Experience supporting marketing communications, creative agencies, media, digital marketing, or production services is also valuable
• Proactively identify value opportunities, mitigate risk, support business needs with speed and discipline, and influence stakeholders through data-driven insights and strong category expertise.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain a multi-year global category strategy aligned with Applied and GSP priorities, including clear objectives, value levers, and execution waves.
• Establish category scope, taxonomy alignment, and an integrated demand/supply perspective (business requirements, demand signals, and supply market dynamics).
• Develop and continuously refresh a category roadmap, sequencing initiatives based on impact, urgency, risk, and capacity to maintain a forward-looking pipeline. Own supplier portfolio design and segmentation (strategic, preferred, transactional), and define engagement models for each segment.
• Execute Strategic Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) for priority suppliers, including performance management, innovation, commercial governance, and executive alignment. Serve as a trusted advisor to business unit leadership, translating business objectives into category strategies and sourcing priorities.
• Lead and facilitate category councils and governance forums to drive decisions, alignment, and accountability. Define and manage the category value pipeline; partner with Finance for validation, tracking, and reporting of results. Integrate supplier risk management into category strategies, including third-party risk (TPRM) triggers and mitigation plans.
• Translate category strategy into sourcing wave plans and playbooks for Strategic Sourcing Managers and SCoE teams. Execute sourcing and category management activities in alignment with defined operating models, tools, and processes.
• Lead category management and sourcing strategies for Meetings & Events, including: Venue sourcing, Event agencies, Production and AV services, Hospitality and lodging, Transportation and logistics, Onsite event support, Group travel as applicable.
• Provide category support for Marketing Communications, including: Creative and branding agencies, Digital marketing services, Content production, Communications support, Campaign-related external services.
• Develop and execute category strategies aligned to business priorities, demand patterns, and market dynamics.
• Act as a trusted advisor to internal stakeholders by bringing market intelligence, sourcing discipline, and commercial recommendations to business planning and supplier decisions.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing initiatives, including RFx development, supplier evaluation, negotiation, and contract execution.
• Drive competitive bidding, supplier consolidation, cost optimization, and service quality improvements.
• Negotiate commercial terms, pricing structures, SLAs, and business protections in partnership with legal and internal stakeholders.
• Support both planned and urgent business requirements with appropriate sourcing rigor and speed.
• Manage strategic supplier relationships across the portfolio to improve performance, innovation, responsiveness, and compliance.
• Establish supplier scorecards and performance reviews focused on service delivery, quality, cost, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Identify and address supplier-related risks, including commercial, operational, and reputational exposures.
• Drive continuous improvement and accountability with key agency and event partners.
• Identify and deliver savings, value creation, and cost avoidance opportunities.
• Analyze spend, demand, supplier concentration, and business requirements to inform sourcing strategies and recommendations.
• Ensure contracts and engagements align with company policies, procurement standards, and risk management requirements.
• Partner cross-functionally with legal, finance, AP, and business teams to ensure effective execution and governance.
• Support budget-conscious decision-making while balancing service, quality, and stakeholder experience.
• Improve procurement processes, intake methods, templates, playbooks, and stakeholder guidance for meetings, events, and marketing services.
• Help business teams navigate sourcing, contracting, and supplier engagement processes efficiently.
• Contribute to stronger category visibility, pipeline planning, and reporting.

Benefits

• Supportive work culture that encourages you to learn, develop, and grow your career
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Participation in a bonus and a stock award program, as applicable

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed