Senior Category Manager

About the Role:

Lead sourcing and supplier management activities for assigned commodities. This role is responsible for driving value through complex negotiations, cross‑functional collaboration, data‑driven decision‑making, and continuous supplier performance improvement—always with the best interest of the company in mind.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and conduct complex commercial and strategic negotiations for assigned commodities, ensuring optimal cost, quality, delivery, and risk outcomes for the company.
• Co‑develop sourcing and procurement requirements with internal customers from RFQ and conceptualization through PR‑to‑PO execution, ensuring alignment with business needs.
• Own and lead the end‑to‑end supplier selection process, including evaluation, recommendation, and onboarding.
• Lead cross‑functional projects, collaborating with stakeholders from Engineering, Operations, Finance, Quality, and other functions.
• Perform data gathering, analysis, and interpretation to support strategic negotiations and sourcing decisions; conceptualize and present insights clearly.
• Maintain and regularly review the approved and qualified supplier base for assigned commodities.
• Ensure data integrity of supplier and material records, including pricing, currency, and master data accuracy.
• Partner with key stakeholders to develop and execute commodity strategies, translating strategy into actionable plans.
• Manage and drive supplier performance improvement, working with internal stakeholders to define KPIs, monitor results, and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Develop clear, compelling presentation materials (PowerPoint, Excel, charts, dashboards) tailored to the objective and audience.
• Prepare procurement and performance reports as required.
• Ensure compliance with the company's Quality Policy within the scope of responsibility.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's Degree in:

- Supply Chain Management

- Business Administration

- Industrial Engineering

- Electronics Engineering

- Mechanical Engineering

- Related discipline

Experience

- Minimum of 8-12 years of experience in procurement, sourcing, or category management.

- At least 3-5 years in a strategic sourcing or category leadership role.

- Preferably experienced in supporting manufacturing, semiconductor, electronics, industrial, or high-tech environments.

- Proven track record in supplier negotiations and cost reduction initiatives.

Knowledge & Skills

- Strong understanding of strategic sourcing and category management principles.

- Experience in managing global suppliers and conducting international sourcing activities.

- Proficiency in procurement systems such as SAP or equivalent.

- Strong analytical, financial, and problem-solving skills.

- Excellent negotiation and contract management skills.

- Ability to effectively influence and collaborate with senior stakeholders.

- Strong project management and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience in the semiconductor or electronics manufacturing industry.

- Experience managing direct materials, indirect procurement, capital equipment, manufacturing services, or technology categories.

- Knowledge of supplier quality management and supply chain risk mitigation.

- Experience working within a global matrix organization.