Procurement Technical Category Manager

Tarter Farm and Ranch • Lexington, KY

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Procurement Technical Category Manager Tarter USA | Supply Chain / Procurement | Full-Time, Exempt | Hybrid – Lexington / Dunnville Want a seat at the table before the product is even designed? Most procurement roles get called in after decisions are already made. This one gets you in the room while the drawing is still on the screen. As our Procurement Technical Category Manager, you'll sit at the intersection of Engineering and Supply Chain — shaping supplier selection, manufacturing processes, and product design early enough to actually bend the cost curve, not just chase it after the fact. If you can read an engineering drawing as easily as a spend report, and you get genuine satisfaction from finding the cheaper, better, smarter way to make something — this role was built for you.

Requirements

• 5+ years in strategic sourcing, engineering, category management, or technical procurement in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience supporting New Product Introduction or New Product Development programs.
• A real grasp of manufacturing processes and the ability to read engineering drawings and specs without needing a translator.
• A track record of leading VA/VE or cost-reduction initiatives that delivered actual, validated savings.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and project management chops.
• A bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

• An engineering background
• Lean/Six Sigma experience
• Global sourcing exposure
• Fluency in SAP, Oracle, Epicor, or similar ERP systems.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Procurement's voice in new product development, partnering with Engineering to qualify suppliers, drive Design for Manufacturability and Design for Cost, and keep sourcing on schedule for launch.
• Lead cross-functional cost-reduction initiatives spanning material substitutions, process improvements, design simplification, and make-vs-buy calls — then prove out the savings with Finance.
• Build sourcing strategies grounded in real manufacturing knowledge: machining, stamping, forging, casting, molding, fabrication, welding, and finishing.
• Dig into material, labor, overhead, tooling, and freight costs to know what something should cost before a supplier tells you what they want to charge.
• Evaluate supplier capabilities and capacity, lead RFQs and negotiations, and build the kind of supplier relationships that deliver innovation, not just parts.
• Spot capacity, geographic, and geopolitical risks early, and build the mitigation plans — and alternate sources — that keep production running.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level