Senior Category Manager - Engineered Plastics

Ferguson Enterprises•Newport News, VA

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Category Manager – Engineered Plastics Solutions is a highly visible enterprise leadership role responsible for establishing and executing the long-term strategic vision for Ferguson’s Engineered Plastics portfolio. The role serves as the organization’s primary authority on engineered plastics products, applications, technologies, market trends, and supplier strategies, while driving profitable growth, market leadership, and operational excellence. The position calls for strong executive presence, business acumen, technical expertise, and the ability to influence senior executives, suppliers, customers, and cross-functional stakeholders. This leader owns category financial performance and leads category strategy, supplier partnerships, technical and market leadership, cross-functional initiatives, executive communications, and talent development. The role is hybrid and based at a Ferguson headquarters location under the company’s Flex schedule policy. Travel is required as needed to support strategic supplier, customer, and business objectives.

Requirements

At least 8 years of progressive leadership experience in Category Management, Product Management, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain, Procurement, Commercial Leadership, or a related business function.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance, Marketing, or a related discipline.
Demonstrated success leading complex product categories in industrial, mechanical, construction, piping, engineered plastics, infrastructure, or related markets.
Proven track record developing and executing category strategies that deliver sustained sales growth, margin expansion, market share gains, and improved return on investment.
Executive-level negotiation skills and experience managing strategic supplier partnerships and enterprise business agreements.
Deep financial acumen and extensive experience managing category P&L performance and investment decisions.
Strong strategic thinking, analytical problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
Outstanding presentation, communication, and executive engagement skills.
Ability to influence without authority and lead cross-functional business initiatives.
Experience developing high-performing teams through coaching, mentoring, and leadership development.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and business analytics tools.
Willingness to travel as required for strategic supplier, customer, and business objectives.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred.
Advanced understanding of engineered plastics products, applications, market dynamics, and customer requirements preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead the enterprise-wide Engineered Plastics Solutions category strategy, aligning it with growth, profitability, customer experience, and market leadership objectives.
Set and communicate the category’s long-term vision while balancing near-term performance and execution priorities.
Identify market opportunities, technology trends, competitive threats, and industry developments that inform category direction and investments.
Advise senior leadership with strategic recommendations grounded in market intelligence, customer insights, financial analysis, and industry expertise.
Lead category transformation initiatives that improve competitive positioning, customer value, and shareholder returns.
Own category financial performance, including sales, gross margin, inventory productivity, supplier funding, and return on investment.
Establish performance metrics and accountability measures, and evaluate investments, growth opportunities, and portfolio decisions through financial analysis and strategic planning.
Present category performance, business risks, and growth strategies to executive leadership.
Lead executive-level supplier partnerships and negotiations, including business planning, pricing agreements, rebate structures, growth initiatives, and long-term partnership development.
Influence supplier investment strategies and identify, evaluate, and onboard suppliers, technologies, and product solutions.
Resolve complex supplier-related business issues through collaboration, negotiation, and strategic problem-solving.
Serve as Ferguson’s primary subject matter expert on engineered plastics products, applications, systems, market trends, regulatory developments, and emerging technologies.
Provide technical leadership and strategic guidance to internal stakeholders, suppliers, and customers; assess product performance, market adoption, customer requirements, and competitive positioning.
Represent Ferguson at industry associations, supplier councils, customer events, and trade organizations.
Lead and influence cross-functional teams across Supply Chain, Pricing, Operations, Inventory Management, Marketing, Customer Groups, Sales, and Finance.
Drive alignment and accountability for category priorities, growth initiatives, inventory strategies, and customer-focused solutions.
Partner with business leaders to improve product availability, demand planning accuracy, pricing effectiveness, and working capital performance.
Support acquisition evaluations, supplier transitions, integration activities, and strategic business initiatives.
Deliver presentations, business reviews, and strategic recommendations to senior leaders and supplier executives; communicate complex business and technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences.
Lead discussions, facilitate alignment, and drive action among senior leaders and key stakeholders through credible, fact-based communication.
Lead, coach, and develop category management associates through mentoring, performance management, and succession planning.
Foster accountability, continuous improvement, innovation, and collaboration, while developing future leaders and strengthening category management practices across the enterprise.