Category Specialist - Transport & Warehousing – North America

Salaried/Skilled Trades NSG Group•Northwood, OH

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position will be a member of the transportation procurement team with direct commercial responsibility for a share of the 3rd Party Transportation and Logistics spend across NSG. They will support the Category Manager for North America in delivery of agreed objectives and the financial targets set within the category, country and region; develop and implement category strategies across the given group of category responsibilities within North America to deliver optimum service to the business lines; take a lead in certain countries for sourcing activities in the category; key purpose is to coordinate and communicate the delivery of key projects, be commercially astute and have a comprehensive technical knowledge of both the local requirements and the operational / commercial needs of the SBUs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required in Supply Chain Management or related field or relevant experience.
Possess solid experience within a similar level Procurement role with cross-category expertise ideally within either Distribution / Logistics / Services or Direct Strategic Materials.
Lead by example as a key driver of change thinking and project execution, working closely with stakeholders to secure value and advantage for NSG together with our key suppliers.
Supply market cost monitoring and risk management / mitigation.
Strong change management and implementation experience.
Excellent negotiation skills with detailed knowledge of contract law, influencing and communication skills are essential.
Track record of delivering sustainable and consistent cost saving projects while driving substantial improvements of service offering and reduction of supply risk at the same time.
Able to demonstrate a track record of engaging key stakeholders in category strategy development and implementation.
Flexibility in influencing skills/styles at all levels of the business.
Ability to demonstrate strategic change in a category role.
Advanced analytical skills.
Strong business acumen, solid financial analytics skills (supplier economics, target costing / cost modelling).
Proven track record of extracting innovation from the supply base and implementation thereof in the organization.
Be a dynamic self-starter with strong interpersonal skills, flexible and motivated to succeed in a challenging environment.
Flexibility to travel – a significant amount of travel will be required in this role to ensure the strategies are being correctly and fully implemented within the country.
Balancing the key relationships between the local business and the Category team will require an individual with exceptional time management and organisational skills.

Nice To Haves

Coordinate and communicate the delivery of key projects, be commercially astute and have a comprehensive technical knowledge of both the local requirements and the operational / commercial needs of the SBUs.

Responsibilities

Implement defined global and regional category strategies and objectives within North America within Transportation and Warehousing category.
Support the Category Manager in developing a deep understanding of carrier financials, cost structures / models to leverage within negotiations.
Understand and influence NSG Group requirements for the category in North America and support the Category Manager in developing a regional supply portfolio that balances transport and supply chain cost with risk and customer service.
Participate in cross-functional category teams within NSG Group as required.
Act as the prime commercial contact with suppliers across an area of responsibility within North America.
Negotiate supply contracts as required, working within the constraints of the established category strategy.
Act as the prime contact with regional business stakeholders and the expert within North America for the category in the prime areas of responsibility and support associated change programmes.
Support/lead initiatives together with suppliers and internal logistics and supply chain personnel to deliver cost reduction, cash generation and mitigate supply risk within the region, as agreed with the Category Manager.
Support/lead supplier rationalisation programmes within the category in the region as appropriate.
Accountable for creating and achieving cost savings, cash flow improvements, capacity security, service performance, quality targets and ensure all savings are fully reported consistently within established Group reporting mechanisms.
Support/lead the resolution of key commodity quality and supply issues within Japan ensuring appropriate Key Performance Indicators are provided and targets are delivered.
Undertake any specific cross-regional projects within the area of category responsibility.
Establishes alternative specifications, supply options and innovation across the services covered whilst protecting NSG from risk exposure and establishing a sustainable supply chain.
Identifies and implements significant bottom-line cost savings, as well as introducing company-wide best-practice processes to drive maximum value from operational budgets and the supply base.
Ensure the Group scale is leveraged, aggregating all volumes across functions/business units, rationalising the supply base, moving to more standard specifications across the addressable spend.
Adherence to NSG/Pilkington Standards of Business Conduct and its Values and Principles.
Other duties as assigned by manager.