Senior Category Manager

Cushman & Wakefield•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Senior Category Manager partners with business lines to lead the development and implementation of company-wide category strategies and supplier relationship management. The role selects and manages a robust preferred supplier program designed to deliver value for clients. It also serves as a trusted advisor and category subject matter expert, supporting procurement, company, and client goals while promoting compliance with Cushman & Wakefield’s code of conduct. The position develops category plans aligned with business-line needs, drives value and EBITDA growth through preferred suppliers, and uses demand planning and data analytics to identify opportunities in third-party spend. It builds and manages supplier relationships, monitors supplier utilization and performance, and ensures effective commercial arrangements. The role works cross-functionally with departments including Finance, Operations, Technology, HR, and Project Management, as well as C&W Legal Counsel, to execute strategies, support negotiations, and mitigate risk. The Senior Category Manager communicates supplier metrics and promotes adoption of the preferred supplier network. It applies continuous-improvement and change-management techniques to develop and increase use of the program, while bringing innovative approaches to category strategy and supply-market engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
At least 7 years of facilities category-management or operational experience within the supply chain.
In-depth knowledge of procurement and its fundamentals.
Demonstrated subject-matter expertise in facility services trades.
Strong interpersonal and analytical skills, with the ability to build relationships at all levels.
Drive to accomplish goals and persistence in overcoming obstacles.
Ability to develop innovative strategies and solutions and solve problems creatively.
Contract negotiation and ongoing contract-management skills.
Ability to analyze data and conduct in-depth analysis.
Ability to build and manage diverse supplier relationships.
Ability to independently lead and manage multiple projects.
Alignment with C&W DRIVE values: Driven, Resilient, Inclusive, Visionary, and Entrepreneurial.

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications such as CPSM, CIPS, or C.P.M.
Evidence of continued professional growth.

Responsibilities

Create a working environment that encourages high performance and innovation.
Serve as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert on assigned categories, and remove roadblocks to support procurement, company, and client goals.
Promote compliance with Cushman & Wakefield’s code of conduct.
Establish category plans and strategies that provide appropriate solutions for C&W business lines.
Align category-management plans with service-line and procurement priorities in partnership with procurement business partners and service-line leadership.
Drive EBITDA growth and value through preferred suppliers, incorporating industry best practices and using demand planning to maximize value from supplier agreements.
Monitor preferred supplier utilization, build a supplier roster capable of supporting service-line portfolios, and monitor supplier performance against account needs.
Use data analytics to analyze client third-party spend and establish effective commercial arrangements.
Communicate preferred-supplier metrics and help the business increase adoption of the preferred supplier network.
Build and maintain strong relationships with business units, the category-management team, and diverse suppliers.
Achieve goals consistently and in a timely manner, and deliver clear, impactful communications with consistent messaging.
Develop and present innovative ideas and approaches for category strategies and supply-market engagement.
Work cross-functionally with Finance, Operations, Technology, HR, Project Management, and other departments to deliver category strategies.
Work with C&W Legal Counsel on consistent templates that support effective negotiations and risk mitigation.
Apply problem-solving and continuous-improvement techniques, and use change-management techniques to develop and increase utilization of the preferred supplier program.
Independently lead and manage multiple projects.