Global Category Manager, Transportation & Trade Services

Smith+Nephew•Memphis, TN

3d•$119,500 - $207,250

About The Position

The Global Category Manager, Transportation & Trade Services leads a global procurement portfolio supporting supply chain performance, distribution excellence, regulatory compliance, operational resilience, and business growth. The role defines and executes category strategy across parcel, air freight, ocean freight, road freight, customs brokerage, and freight audit and payment services. It builds a multi-year value creation pipeline through cost optimization, productivity improvements, working capital enhancement, risk reduction, innovation, and network optimization. The position serves as a commercial advisor to Global Supply Chain and Global Trade Compliance leaders, leads complex supplier negotiations and strategic supplier relationships, and drives sustainability, resilience, continuous improvement, and digital transformation across transportation and trade services. It also leads, coaches, and develops a high-performing procurement team. Success includes measurable business value, improved cost competitiveness and operational resilience, supplier innovation, stronger governance and compliance, and wider adoption of data-driven, digitally enabled logistics solutions.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Economics, Finance, or a related field.
10+ years of experience in transportation procurement, logistics sourcing, or supply chain procurement.
Proven experience developing and executing category strategies that deliver measurable business value across complex global organizations.
Strong expertise in transportation markets, carrier commercial models, logistics operations, customs brokerage, and international trade compliance.
Demonstrated success leading complex transportation negotiations and strategic supplier relationship programs across multiple transportation modes, including parcel and last-mile distribution networks.
Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to partner effectively with senior leaders across matrix organizations.
Experience leading teams and driving transformation, change management, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision making.

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications such as CPSM, CIPS, CSCP, or APICS.
Experience within a regulated or MedTech environment.
Experience with transportation management systems (TMS), freight visibility platforms, freight audit solutions, or digital logistics technologies.

Responsibilities

Define and execute the global Transportation & Trade Services category strategy across parcel, air freight, ocean freight, road freight, customs brokerage, and freight audit and payment services.
Build and deliver a multi-year value creation pipeline through cost optimization, productivity improvements, working capital enhancement, risk reduction, innovation, and network optimization.
Advise Global Supply Chain and Global Trade Compliance leaders on transportation, logistics, and trade services decisions using commercial expertise, market insight, and strategic thinking.
Lead complex supplier negotiations and strategic supplier relationships to improve performance, resilience, compliance, innovation, and long-term business outcomes.
Drive sustainability, resilience, and continuous improvement initiatives across transportation and trade services.
Champion digital transformation through transportation technologies, analytics, automation, visibility platforms, and data-driven decision making.
Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing procurement team, fostering accountability, innovation, continuous improvement, and commercial excellence.