Category Manager
Location:
San Diego, CA (4 days onsite / 1 day WFH)
Schedule:
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Duration:
2-year contract (possible conversion to FTE)
Pay Range:$70–$80/hr
Summary:
Our client is seeking a Category Manager to join their Purchasing department in San Diego, CA. This role owns a portfolio of cross-functional spend categories, driving cost reduction strategies, supplier negotiations, and total cost of ownership savings across multiple concurrent sourcing projects. The ideal candidate is a senior contracting contributor with strong RFP and negotiation experience who is comfortable engaging stakeholders across the business, Legal, Risk, and Senior Management.
Job Responsibilities:
In this role, you will manage and support a variety of strategic sourcing and category management initiatives within the Purchasing department. Key responsibilities include:
- Managing portfolio spend and developing cost reduction strategies
- Conducting rigorous market analyses and recommending short- and long-term sourcing opportunities
- Providing risk/benefit analysis to support sourcing decisions
- Leading and facilitating supplier evaluations, negotiations, and change management efforts
- Managing cost reduction programs and transactional activities to drive total cost of ownership savings and enhanced service levels
Essential Job Duties and Job Functions:
- Oversee a portfolio of cross-functional categories with multiple concurrent projects
- Manage cross-functional teams to execute category-specific sourcing strategies, including development of requirements
- Develop market intelligence for the assigned category portfolio, including supplier capabilities, competitive landscape, market trends, and factors impacting cost, price, and availability
- Track and report on category portfolio performance and manage any portfolio modifications
- Develop project plans for relatively complex sourcing projects
- Establish or support the establishment of contracts for strategic purchases and large spot buys when no existing contract is in place
- Develop and sustain processes and procedures for efficient sourcing and procurement
- Partner closely with internal stakeholders and the Manager of Purchasing to identify and achieve category goals
Knowledge and Skills:
- Senior-level contracting contributor with experience drafting, negotiating, assembling, and strategizing contracts and RFPs
- Customer-focused, with the ability to speak and interact with business stakeholders, Legal, Risk, and Senior Management personnel
- Detail-oriented
- Proficiency in Ariba, or ability to quickly learn the Ariba system
- Demonstrated success leading project teams to achieve quantifiable savings through various sourcing methods
- Strong project management skills and results-oriented approach
- First-hand working knowledge of strategic sourcing methodology
- Knowledge of eProcurement and eSourcing systems a plus
- Category content knowledge in Travel, IT, Facilities, and Marketing preferred
- Strong negotiation experience with excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree required (Business or related field); MBA strongly preferred
- 4–8 years of strategic sourcing or supply chain-related experience with a major company preferred
- Insurance industry experience preferred; Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) certification a plus
- Level III: 5–8 years of experience
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