Level 5 Category Manager

Aston Carter•Franklin Township, NJ

3d•$122,000 - $156,000•Remote

About The Position

This LEAD Category Manager (Level 5) role leads end-to-end global category strategy for complex, technical components within a high-growth manufacturing environment. You will operate as a business owner for your category, owning long-term strategy, shaping supplier partnerships, influencing engineering decisions, and ensuring long-term supply resilience. This is a highly visible, strategic role with direct impact on product roadmaps and company growth.

Requirements

12+ years of experience in sourcing, procurement, or supply chain
Proven experience owning and leading global category strategy
Experience sourcing complex, technical components in manufacturing environments
Strong experience in supplier strategy and lifecycle management
Extensive experience leading complex, global negotiations
Expertise in cost modeling and total cost of ownership (TCO)
Proven ability to influence engineering, operations, and executive stakeholders
Experience managing supply chain risk and long-term supplier resilience
Strong financial and analytical skills to build business cases and strategic insights
Executive-level communication and presentation skills

Nice To Haves

Experience in semiconductor, capital equipment, or advanced manufacturing
Global sourcing experience across Asia and Europe
Experience in high-growth or scaling organizations
Experience building and managing global supplier networks and roadmaps
Track record of securing favorable long-term supplier agreements
Exposure to AI-driven or technology-focused manufacturing growth

Responsibilities

Own and execute global category strategy end-to-end, aligned to business objectives and product roadmaps
Develop and manage multi-year category roadmaps (3–5 year horizon) with clear milestones
Lead global supplier strategy, including identification, selection, onboarding, development, and performance management
Drive complex global negotiations, including long-term agreements, pricing models, and capacity planning
Partner closely with engineering to align sourcing with product design and technology roadmaps
Collaborate with operations to ensure sourcing supports production, quality, and delivery targets
Lead cost modeling and total cost of ownership (TCO) strategies to drive optimization
Identify and mitigate global supply chain risks (capacity, geopolitical, single-source exposure)
Drive continuous improvement in supplier performance across cost, quality, innovation, and delivery
Build and maintain a global supplier roadmap aligned to current and future growth
Present category strategies, risks, and performance to leadership
Influence cross-functional stakeholders to align on sourcing decisions and trade-offs
Lead sourcing initiatives supporting high-growth and rapid scaling demands
Act as a strategic advisor on market trends, supplier capabilities, and opportunities