Category Manager, Material Handling

CoreTrust Purchasing Group•Nashville, IN

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Every organization needs supplies and services to operate. From laptops and rental cars to pens and pallets, all businesses, schools, and government bodies have procurement needs. That’s where CoreTrust comes in. CoreTrust works with our members and suppliers to transform how procurement professionals buy billions of dollars’ worth of supplies and services annually. We’re on a mission to be the one place where buyers and suppliers connect, secure purchasing agreements, transact, and partner to accelerate value and realize savings. To support our rapid growth, we’re seeking a dynamic Category Manager, Material Handling. This role supports the Material Handling category portfolio by executing day-to-day category activities, maintaining supplier relationships, supporting contract management, and engaging with members to ensure offerings deliver value and meet CoreTrust priorities. The Category Manager will partner closely with senior category leadership to support category strategy, assess the relevance of offerings, assist with sourcing and negotiations, and help execute go-to-market (GTM) activities. The role is highly collaborative, working cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Member Success, Portfolio Operations, and suppliers to ensure smooth execution, strong supplier performance, and positive member experiences. This position plays a key role in helping members spend wisely and operate efficiently by supporting price advantage, contract structure, service levels, and value-added solutions within the GPO framework. This position requires the ability to communicate category value and insights effectively to a wide range of stakeholders—from C-suite executives to operational leaders such as warehouse and plant managers—translating strategy, data, and contract value into clear, practical outcomes.

Requirements

Experience in procurement, sourcing, or supplier management within a manufacturing or distribution environment.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or related field, or equivalent work experience
5–7 years of experience supporting sourcing, procurement, or category management activities.
Experience working with commercial contracts, supplier negotiations, and spend analysis.
Familiarity with Material Handling categories and related buying behaviors.
Experience interacting with internal stakeholders and/or external customers or members.
Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills; comfortable working with suppliers, members, and cross-functional teams.
Solid communication and collaboration skills, both written and verbal.
Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and support fact-based decisions.
Working knowledge of supplier economics and sourcing fundamentals.
Strong organizational and project management skills; able to manage multiple priorities.
Proactive, detail-oriented, and execution-focused.
Comfortable working independently while taking direction from senior category leadership.
Adaptable and effective in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Willingness to travel approximately 10%, as required.

Nice To Haves

GPO experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Support the execution of category strategy and multi-year roadmap in alignment with business goals and member needs.
Assist with market, competitor, and supplier analysis to maintain an up-to-date view of pricing, capabilities, trends, and positioning.
Gather and synthesize member feedback, spend data, and market inputs to support category planning, continuous improvement, and offering enhancements.
Coordinate with internal stakeholders and member advisory groups to support category initiatives and identify savings, value levers, and operational improvements.
Contribute to annual category planning activities, including initiative prioritization and budget inputs.
Support sourcing activities to secure competitive, value-driven offerings for members, including RFP development, analysis, and supplier evaluations.
Assist with supplier segmentation and prioritization to support contracting and relationship management efforts.
Participate in supplier negotiations and support end-to-end contract processes in partnership with Legal.
Help analyze spend data to identify cost-saving opportunities and category expansion opportunities.
Support process improvements that enhance procurement effectiveness and deliver incremental GPO value.
Support the execution of GTM activities for new or updated offerings in collaboration with Sales, Marketing, and Portfolio Operations.
Act as a category SME to assist Sales teams with member questions, offering details, and solution positioning.
Support the development of sales enablement materials, SOPs, and internal documentation.
Assist with tracking GTM performance metrics and gathering feedback to support continuous improvement.
Participate in cross-functional meetings to communicate updates, address issues, and support adoption of offerings.
Support monitoring of category and offering performance, including revenue, utilization, and supplier KPIs.
Assist with supplier relationship management activities, including business reviews, performance tracking, and issue resolution.
Coordinate with Sales, Member Success, and Finance to support visibility into performance and member outcomes.
Maintain strong working relationships with suppliers, members, and internal stakeholders to support ongoing category success.
Prepare performance summaries and insights to support leadership updates and decision-making.

Benefits

Competitive compensation package
Free individual employee medical coverage
Company subsidized dental and vision coverage
Dollar for dollar 401(k) match up to 6% of your salary with immediate vesting
Company-paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability coverage
Employee Assistance Program to support your wellbeing and mental health
$1500 annual stipend for undergraduate/graduate college courses; $500 annual stipend for continuing education courses/certifications
Free snacks and beverages on-site
Brand new, state-of-the-art, tech-enabled work environment in downtown Nashville
Flexible/hybrid work culture