Senior Category Manager

Vertiv•Austin, TX

About The Position

Vertiv is seeking a Senior Category Manager to drive category strategy execution, delivering total cost optimization, supply continuity, and operational excellence. This role works cross-functionally with Marketing, Engineering, Operations, and strategic suppliers to lead complex sourcing initiatives, manage critical supplier relationships, and produce measurable financial and operational results, while advancing procurement integration and continuous improvement efforts.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or related field preferred.
10–12 years of experience in direct and indirect category management.
Experience with ERP systems (Oracle, SAP) and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
Expertise in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), market analysis, and KPI development.
Strong negotiation, analytical, presentation, and communication skills.
Proven ability to manage complex initiatives and build strong relationships in a global, cross-functional environment.

Responsibilities

Develop, communicate, and refine category strategies in collaboration with Marketing, Engineering, Materials Management, Regional Operations, and key suppliers.
Build strong cross-functional relationships to align sourcing strategies with business and product priorities.
Lead strategic and tactical sourcing initiatives to support growth, innovation, and cost competitiveness.
Act as the primary interface between Vertiv’s category management organization, key stakeholders, and local purchasing teams to ensure consistent execution of category strategies for Direct and Indirect (including CapEx) categories.
Manage commercial relationships with strategic suppliers, including contracts, pricing, lead times, inventory, and quality performance.
Ensure all required legal and supplemental agreements are executed to support supply continuity and optimization.
Lead negotiations supported by cost analysis and should-cost models assessments.
Manage program budgets and lead initiatives to reduce waste and improve sourcing efficiency.
Oversee and report category performance, including: Technology and innovation trends Material inflation planning, risk mitigation, and cost reduction aligned to Annual Operating Plan (AOP) targets Supply base strategy, preferred supplier lists, and tier-2 supply planning
Partner with Quality to drive continuous improvement and supplier performance feedback.
Monitor, evaluate and report monthly KPI summary to ensure alignment with short-term and long-term strategy for each category.
Lead procurement integration initiatives, deliver synergy targets, and provide regular updates to leadership.
Champion best practices and continuous improvement while ensuring compliance with Vertiv procurement policies.