Category Lead

** Category Lead **

** Department: ** Supply Chain

** Reports to: ** Director of Supply Chain

** Position Summary **

The Category Lead is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies that deliver cost savings, supply continuity, quality, and innovation across assigned categories. This role partners cross-functionally with sales, engineering, operations, finance, and quality teams to manage supplier relationships, negotiate contracts, and ensure procurement activities align with broader business objectives.

** Key Responsibilities **

• Develop and implement category sourcing strategies aligned with company goals, market dynamics, and total cost of ownership analysis.

• Lead supplier identification, qualification, RFx processes (RFI, RFP, RFQ), and award decisions for assigned categories.

• Negotiate pricing, terms, service-level agreements, and master purchase agreements with current and prospective suppliers.

• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships, including conducting business reviews, performance scorecards, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Analyze spend data, market trends, commodity indices, and supplier financials to identify cost reduction, consolidation, and risk-mitigation opportunities.

• Manage supplier risk, including supply continuity planning, dual-sourcing strategies, geopolitical exposure, and compliance monitoring.

• Partner with engineering and product teams on new product introduction (NPI), early supplier involvement, and value engineering opportunities.

• Track and report savings, KPIs, and category performance to leadership.

• Resolve supplier disputes, quality issues, delivery escalations, and contract compliance matters.

• Stay current on market intelligence, industry benchmarks, and emerging sourcing technologies.

• Travel 20% of the time for Supplier meetings, Customer sites or industry conferences

** Required Qualifications **

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.

• 5+ years of progressive procurement, sourcing, or category management experience.

• Demonstrated success leading strategic sourcing events and complex contract negotiations.

• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Excel, ERP systems (M1 or similar), and e-sourcing tools.

• Solid understanding of contract law fundamentals, INCOTERMS, and procurement compliance.

• Experience in sourcing electrical components including breakers, meters, Kirk Keys, etc.

• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.

** Preferred Qualifications **

• Masters degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field (equivalent experience considered).

• Professional certification such as CPSM, CIPS, or CPM.

• Familiarity with setting up Kanbans, consignment, safety stock, VMI, etc

** Core Competencies **

• Strategic thinking and business acumen

• Negotiation and persuasion

• Data-driven decision-making

• Cross-functional collaboration

• Risk management and problem-solving

• Ownership and accountability