Category Manager

Position summary

The Category Manager – Sourcing plays a critical role in managing the supply chain by developing sourcing strategies, overseeing vendor relationships, and ensuring the timely procurement of quality goods and services. As an integral part of the Sourcing Team, you will contribute to shaping the global strategy and supplier base for a core product category. The position demands a combination of analytical prowess and negotiation skills to achieve cost-efficient sourcing without compromising quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain awareness of regional market and emerging material/process related issues in the industry and proactively incorporate into the Regional Supply Chain Strategies.
• India Regional category management support for Forgings, Steel, Machined Components etc.
• Lead drive localization projects for India plants
• Design, develop and implement effective and result oriented sourcing strategy for forging category across India region and for BVC sourcing from India to EMEA, North America RRX plants.
• Close Cooperation & Collaboration with regional and Global Category Manager to lead the Forging category and achieve synergy savings and work on supplier consolidation.
• Work with assigned Strategic Business Unit (SBUs) and Category Managers to understand the current and future supply chain needs of the business and identify cost savings opportunities including, negotiation, competitive bidding, resourcing, alternative manufacturing processes, product redesign and material substitutions.
• Support BU global sourcing initiatives through coordination with internal departments to understand sourcing need and by identifying, qualifying, negotiating favorable commercial terms on boarding new suppliers to meet project objectives.
• Drive sustainable improvements in supplier quality, delivery, cost and cash flow performance by supporting BU supplier audit and supplier scorecard programs and working with suppliers to proactively identify and correcting process gaps that could lead to future performance issues and rapidly resolving current issues by deploying the applicable root-cause corrective actions tools.
• Develop and implement effective sourcing strategies, manage vendor relationships and performance.
• Monitor product line demand trends and new project funnels to determine required long-term supply base capacities and capabilities and take proactive action to ensure capacities and capabilities are readily available as needed.
• Engender a spirit of cooperation throughout the supply chain to insure responsiveness to the customer.
• Maintain accurate records of sourcing activities, vendor negotiations and supplier master data.
• Monitor and manage supplier performance, including risk assessment and compliance.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

• B.E./ B.Tech or regional equivalent in Engineering.
• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in a Supply Chain Management role specifically with sourcing in manufacturing sector & Categories like forgings , machined parts, steel etc.
• Hands on experience supporting new product development projects, qualifying suppliers, qualifying products/ components, verifying suppliers manufacturing readiness and ramping up volume production in the assigned region/s.
• Experienced using supplier performance management best-practices to drive supplier continues improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior management, teams and individuals across multiple cultures, disciplines and geographies. Experience in collaborating with business units and sites to drive common solutions.
• Able to effectively navigate and work through complex situation in multi-cultural business environment.
• Excellent analytical, problem solving/decision making skills; ability to make timely, effective, fact-based decisions. Includes a strong working knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet and scheduling software.
• Low Volume, High-Mix Expertise – Drive efficiency in challenging categories with low volumes , long lead times and high part complexity.
• Cross Functional Collaboration : Working closely with Engineering, SQD, and SCM to accelerate localization and mitigate risk.
• Building and executing regional sourcing strategies aligned with global goals.
• Experience in driving localization projects.
• Willingness to travel 30 to 40%.

Skills Required
Negotiation, Scheduling Software