Indirect Category Buyer

STIHL•Virginia Beach, VA

1d•$86,000 - $111,000

About The Position

The Indirect Category Buyer leads procurement of complex indirect products and services supporting internal stakeholders and company operations across North America. The role develops and executes sourcing strategies that balance total cost of ownership, quality, service, delivery, compliance, risk, and business continuity. It builds effective stakeholder and supplier relationships, negotiates commercial agreements, drives measurable value and process improvement, and provides guidance to junior Purchasing personnel in accordance with corporate policies and procurement best practices. The role also collaborates across the STIHL global Purchasing network.

Requirements

7+ years of purchasing, strategic sourcing, category management, or contract negotiation experience.
Knowledge of commercial terms, statements of work, service levels, and product and service contracts.
Demonstrated success negotiating complex agreements and delivering savings, cost avoidance, risk reduction, and business value.
Ability to analyze spend, markets, proposals, and total cost of ownership and develop sourcing recommendations.
Strong communication, negotiation, relationship, leadership, teamwork, analytical, planning, and decision-making skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply Management, Business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
Experience with SAP ERP, SAP Ariba, or comparable procurement systems.

Responsibilities

Lead cross-functional sourcing projects from requirements and supplier identification through evaluation, negotiation, contracting, implementation, and transition.
Partner with stakeholders to define scopes, specifications, service levels, evaluation criteria, budgets, schedules, and commercial requirements.
Research markets, qualify suppliers, and manage RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, bids, proposals, and related sourcing events.
Analyze spend, proposals, market data, and total cost of ownership to develop sourcing strategies, business cases, and recommendations.
Negotiate pricing, contracts, scope, service levels, schedules, payment terms, and other conditions to deliver savings, cost avoidance, risk reduction, and business value.
Coordinate agreement review with Legal and stakeholders; manage renewals, amendments, expirations, obligations, and records.
Serve as the primary commercial contact for stakeholders and suppliers across the sourcing and supplier-management lifecycle.
Monitor supplier performance, financial stability, capacity, compliance, and risk; lead reviews, corrective actions, continuity plans, and improvement.
Resolve service, delivery, quality, purchase order, receipt, invoice, and payment issues with suppliers and internal partners; approve invoices when required.
Maintain sourcing, contract, supplier, performance, purchase order, and savings records; prepare analyses, updates, and recommendations.
Track category trends, benchmarks, risks, and opportunities; share intelligence and strategies with the global STIHL Purchasing organization.
Champion Purchasing policies, systems, ethics, and Procure-to-Pay processes; improve workflows and guide junior buyers.
Visit suppliers and maintain professional knowledge through training and industry events as needed.
Perform other duties as assigned.