Category Manager, MRO

Novozymes North America•West Allis, WI

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Join Novonesis as a Category Manager, MRO and play a key role in shaping how we source critical Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) products across North America. You will become part of the North America Indirect Procurement team, a highly collaborative group consisting of four Category Managers and one Procurement Associate. Together, the team supports manufacturing sites and business functions across key indirect spend areas, driving cost optimization, sustainability initiatives, supplier innovation, and long-term business impact. By building strong supplier partnerships, the team helps Novonesis reinvest in its purpose of Better Business with Biology. The Role & Your Impact As Category Manager, MRO, you will lead and support strategic sourcing initiatives across MRO and Facilities Services categories. This role combines strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, commercial leadership, and operational execution to create value throughout the organization. Working closely with regional and global procurement colleagues, you will help shape sourcing strategies, optimize supplier performance, and identify opportunities for innovation.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Sourcing, International Business, Economics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Engineering, or a related field.
Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in procurement, sourcing, supply chain, or related disciplines.
Strong capabilities in SAP, Excel, PowerPoint, contracting, and supplier negotiations.
Fluent English communication skills, both written and verbal.
Stakeholder management and collaboration, with the ability to build trusted partnerships across the business.
Strong commercial and negotiation capabilities with a focus on creating total business value.
Analytical and data-driven decision-making skills.
Operational curiosity and problem-solving abilities in a manufacturing environment.
Ownership, adaptability, and accountability while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced setting.

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications such as CPSM, CSCP, PMP, or similar procurement, supply chain, or project management credentials.
Additional language skills beyond English.
Experience working within global or matrixed organizations.
Exposure to manufacturing, industrial operations, or facilities management environments.

Responsibilities

Lead medium- to high-complexity sourcing projects, including supplier identification, tender management, negotiations, and contracting.
Support and execute category strategies aligned with regional and global procurement objectives.
Drive supplier performance management, contract renewals, pricing reviews, and supplier relationship management activities.
Identify and mitigate commercial, supply, sustainability, regulatory, and operational risks within assigned categories.
Partner with stakeholders across manufacturing, finance, legal, quality, and other business functions to deliver procurement solutions that support business goals.
Contribute market insights, category analytics, sourcing strategies, and project pipeline planning to global category teams.
Develop supplier partnerships that enable innovation, continuous improvement, and mutual value creation.