Category Manager, Direct Materials

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Massachusetts.

📋 Description

• Oversee the global sourcing and procurement strategy for packaging materials.

• Create and implement supplier agreements that promote business expansion, enhance supplier performance, mitigate risks, and reduce total ownership costs.

• Direct sourcing activities, supplier assessments, competitive bidding, benchmarking, and negotiations concerning packaging materials, components, tooling, specifications, and supplier services.

• Collaborate with Packaging Engineering, Quality, Operations, Supply Planning, and Manufacturing teams to fulfill quality, regulatory, capacity, service, and cost requirements.

• Foster collaborative relationships with packaging suppliers and senior management teams.

• Hold suppliers accountable through business reviews, action tracking, scorecards, quality assessments, and corrective action initiatives.

• Ensure the availability of packaging materials, continuity of supply, and dependable production support.

• Act as the escalation point for issues related to suppliers, capacity, service, quality, and shortages.

• Identify opportunities for cost reduction, productivity enhancement, packaging improvement, supplier consolidation, and specification optimization.

• Lead projects aimed at improving gross margin, working capital, service reliability, lead times, packaging utilization, and operational resilience.

• Provide cost/benefit analyses, should-cost modeling, supplier performance reporting, and packaging cost assessments.

• Discover packaging solutions that minimize waste, enhance material efficiency, and support sustainability initiatives.

• Carry out other responsibilities and lead projects as necessary.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, operations, engineering, packaging science, or a related field.

• A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in leading procurement categories, sourcing, negotiating, contracting, supplier management, packaging procurement, and project management.

• Previous experience in global strategic sourcing and supplier management for packaging materials utilizing strategic category management methodologies.

• In-depth knowledge of packaging materials, conversion processes, tooling, specifications, supplier capabilities, quality standards, and industry trends.

• Proven success in selecting suppliers and negotiating contracts that yield robust, scalable, cost-effective, and compliant packaging solutions.

• Demonstrated history of achieving measurable cost savings, productivity enhancements, and improvements in service levels.

• Experience with benchmarking, RFx processes, cost analysis, should-cost modeling, and supplier performance metrics.

• Strong social intelligence to influence and lead stakeholders and suppliers at senior levels.

• Capability to prioritize and operate in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with cross-functional teams and global supply chain partners.

• Proficient with Microsoft Windows and Office applications, especially Microsoft Excel.

• Exceptional skills in supplier management, negotiation, collaboration, interpersonal communication, contract development, contract analysis, supplier evaluation, price analysis, packaging cost analysis, and should-cost analysis.

• Strong communication, presentation, project management, risk management, business continuity planning, market analysis, packaging trend analysis, strategic category planning, long-range category planning, and financial analysis abilities.

• Experience in medical devices, regulated manufacturing, life sciences, packaging, or global manufacturing is highly desirable.

• Willingness to travel up to 20%.

🏝️ Benefits

• Eligibility for incentive compensation.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• 401(k) plan with company matching.

• Paid time off (PTO).

• Additional wellness programs for employees.

• 100% remote work options; ability to work from home/virtually or hybrid on-site/virtual as preferred.