Procurement Specialist – Category Management

3A Composites USA•Davidson, NC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

3A Composites USA specializes in the manufacturing of leading substrates for the graphic display, architectural and framing markets in North America, South America and Central America. With manufacturing facilities in Benton, KY, Statesville, NC, and Glasgow, KY, and sales and marketing offices in Davidson, NC, our industry leading brands include: FOME-COR®, SINTRA®, GATOR®, DISPA®, DIBOND®, LUMEX® G and ALUCOBOND® PLUS. 3A Composites is part of the international 3A Composites Group, which belongs to the listed company Schweiter Technologies headquartered in Steinhausen, Switzerland. At 3A Composites we share common values of integrity and accountability, teamwork, trust & transparency that guide us in our dealings with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. More information about 3A Composites can be found at http://www.3acompositesusa.com. The role as a Procurement Specialist in Category Management plays a critical role in the execution and sustainment of sourcing strategies across both direct and indirect spend categories. This position partners closely with the Strategic Sourcing team to translate enterprise-level sourcing strategies into disciplined, effective operational execution. The role has ownership of defined spend categories, leads and supports competitive sourcing initiatives, monitors supplier performance, and drives measurable cost savings and process improvements. This is a commercially focused role with clear accountability for category execution and supplier performance, rather than a transactional purchasing function.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, Engineering, or related field
1-3 years minimum experience in procurement, supply chain, category management, or operations
Strong analytical capability with advanced Excel skills
Ability to leverage AI tools and advanced analytics to enhance category analysis, market research, contract review, and reporting processes
Ability to manage multiple projects in a manufacturing environment
Commercial mindset with developing negotiation capability
Strong analytical and financial discipline
Structured, organized, and process-oriented
Cross-functional collaboration skills
Independent problem-solving ability
Clear and professional communication

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting both direct and indirect categories
Experience participating in sourcing events or supplier negotiations
ERP experience (SAP preferred)
PowerBI or similar analytics experience
Formal negotiation or procurement training
Lean / Six Sigma exposure

Responsibilities

Manage assigned direct and indirect spend categories under guidance of Strategic Sourcing
Execute sourcing strategies and initiatives within defined scope
Lead or support competitive bid processes (RFQ/RFP), supplier evaluations, and commercial analysis
Conduct cost modeling, benchmarking, and total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis
Support capital equipment procurement processes including bid evaluations and commercial comparisons
Assist with contract development and ensure compliance with negotiated agreements
Support commercial management of assigned suppliers
Monitor supplier performance across cost, quality, delivery, service, and working capital metrics
Track and report KPIs (OTIF, savings delivery, etc.)
Participate in Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs)
Identify supplier improvement opportunities and escalate issues as needed
Support supply continuity and risk mitigation efforts
Ensure proper execution of pricing, index adjustments, rebates, and contractual commitments
Assist in resolving commercial issues including delivery delays and invoice discrepancies
Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Engineering, Finance, Logistics, Maintenance, and Legal
Maintain procurement documentation and governance standards
Track savings initiatives and validate financial impact with Finance
Maintain spend analysis and reporting dashboards (Excel and/or PowerBI preferred)
Monitor market trends and provide insights to sourcing
Support budget forecasting and variance analysis
Assist in evaluating supplier price increase requests
Identify process improvement opportunities within procurement workflows
Support development of sourcing templates, tools, and best practices
Contribute to supplier portfolio optimization initiatives
Drive consistency and discipline in sourcing execution