Electronics Category Manager

Nortek Air Solutions•Dyersburg, TN

About The Position

The Electronics Category Manager develops and executes sourcing strategies, manages suppliers, and provides category leadership for electrical and electronic components used in electrical panels and control assemblies. The role collaborates with Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, and panel shops to support cost efficiency, quality, and supply resilience. The manager owns category strategy and supplier classification, maintains the Approved Vendor List, and tracks performance in cost, lead time, quality, and supply resilience. The role supports component selection for new product introductions, identifies substitutions and alternate components, and drives standardization across product platforms. The position identifies and qualifies original equipment manufacturers and distributors, negotiates pricing and commercial agreements, manages stocking programs, and evaluates supplier performance through quarterly business reviews and scorecards. It also supports panel shops and operations with sourcing, insourcing and outsourcing of panels and electrical assemblies, bills of materials, escalations, and Approved Manufacturer Lists. Additional responsibilities include developing cost-reduction initiatives and year-over-year savings roadmaps; shifting spend from distribution to direct OEMs when beneficial; monitoring supply constraints, lead times, end-of-life and last-time-buy risks; implementing second sourcing and mitigation strategies; maintaining ERP and PLM master data; ensuring regulatory and customer compliance; and managing commercial agreements and reporting processes. The company describes its culture as hands-on and collaborative, with an emphasis on ownership, clear communication, practical execution, and accountability. The position offers an opportunity to contribute to a growing team supporting AI-ready data centers.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Supply Chain, or a related field.
At least 5 years of experience in sourcing, category management, or commodity management.
Experience collaborating with Engineering and panel integrators.
Strong negotiation and commercial skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with UL 508A panel shops.
Familiarity with low-voltage components and automation systems.
Global sourcing experience.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement sourcing strategies for assigned categories.
Classify strategic suppliers and manage the Approved Vendor List (AVL).
Own performance metrics for cost, lead time, quality, and supply resilience.
Partner with Engineering on component selection for new product introductions.
Identify alternate components and substitutions, and drive component standardization across product platforms.
Identify and qualify new OEMs and distributors.
Negotiate pricing, agreements, and stocking programs.
Manage supplier performance through quarterly business reviews and scorecards.
Act as sourcing liaison for panel shops.
Support insourcing and outsourcing of panels and electrical assemblies as needed.
Standardize components and bills of materials (BOMs).
Support escalations, costed BOMs, and Approved Manufacturer Lists (AML).
Develop cost-reduction initiatives and pipelines, and build ideation and roadmaps to achieve year-over-year savings goals.
Transition spend from distribution to direct OEMs where beneficial.
Monitor global supply constraints and lead-time trends.
Identify end-of-life and last-time-buy risks and implement second-sourcing and risk-mitigation strategies.
Maintain accurate ERP and PLM master data.
Ensure compliance with regulatory and customer requirements.
Own commercial agreements and reporting processes.