Senior Category Manager, Contract Manufacturing

Xylem • Charlotte, NC

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employees operating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world's most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions. The Senior Category Manager is charged with maintaining a deep knowledge of global market trends, segmenting suppliers, and constructing business-aligned strategies executed worldwide. This role emphasizes sourcing, negotiation, and fostering supplier relationships on an international scale. The position involves overseeing vendor partnerships to ensure global supply chain stability, leading indirectly a large team to align with strategic goals, and resolving complex supply issues that arise across borders. The candidate will design comprehensive global procurement strategies, enforce compliance, and manage budgets to optimize financial performance. Initial duties include observing team dynamics and recording expenses to support strategic planning. The ideal candidate brings extensive international procurement expertise and robust leadership skills. Experience with global supply chains and contract negotiations is crucial for success. Joining this forward-thinking team provides an opportunity to shape worldwide procurement operations, offering a platform for significant career advancement in a challenging and dynamic global context. This role is perfect for those with a strategic mindset, ready to lead on a global stage with a commitment to excellence.

Requirements

• BS Degree in Engineering, Economics or an equivalent field
• Profound experience in the field of Electronics Manufacturing Services, including global Supply Chain of Electronics
• Track record of mastering complex negotiations
• Strong project management and matrix organization collaboration skills
• Effective written and oral communication
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time

Responsibilities

• Identify, benchmark, select and contract suppliers in the field of Electronic Assemblies and Contract Manufacturing within defined delegation of authority.
• Serve as relationship manager of relevant suppliers, ensuring performance against their commitments and business requirements.
• Manage an annual category spend of approximately $450m USD, in leading collaboration with the Strategic Buyers at the various manufacturing sites in the Americas.
• Develop and execute a category strategy, giving strategic direction to the procurement organization and business stakeholders in the Americas.
• Identify and execute sustainable means of cost reduction, particularly in the fields of automation, Should Costing and Value Engineering.

Benefits

• Xylem Watermark (paid Volunteer Program)
• Employee Resource Groups (ERG)
• Equal Employment Opportunity (including disability and veterans) and Affirmative Action workplace
• Reasonable accommodations to enable all employees to perform their essential job functions

What This Job Offers

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