Category Manager

Location: Mississauga, ON

The Category Manager will lead regional and global sourcing and contracting efforts for all non-merchandise (goods not for resale) areas of the business. This role has an impact on supplier selection, supplier relationship management, contract and compliance; in addition to adding value to the business and supporting various Business Partners across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Support the optimization for the 3PL supply base for global spend of $11B + CAD and regional spend of $900MM
• Lead category spend between $20MM and $400MM based on category sizes
• Lead cross-functional teams in the execution of medium to large strategic sourcing initiatives and the implementation of category strategies
• Manage global strategic supplier relationships and rationalize supply base; negotiate contract business terms and collaborate with legal to establish proper contracts; monitor and report category-specific savings and performance metrics
• Align all regional sourcing efforts with global category management teams; establish a solid partnership with global peers and colleagues; participate in the development of regional and global category strategies and drive the category planning process
• Collect and actively challenge current product or service requirements; present new sourcing strategies to drive cost savings; recommend new ways to manage demand through process re-design
• Ensure a compliant process is in place for all eligible business partner spend. Use of defined strategic sourcing methodologies, tools, and templates to ensure a fair, open, and competitive sourcing process
• Identify and execute against opportunities for specification alignment, process improvement, and demand management
• Execute against supplier relationship management programs
• Participate in annual and special projects/committees as needed
• Establish or enhance business partnerships as a brand ambassador, and seek business collaboration opportunities between business functions and cross regions where synergy presents. Influence and drive for effective decision making
• Manage projects of varying complexity and significant value as assigned

Experience, Qualifications & Attributes

• Five to seven (5 to 7) years of strategic sourcing, procurement or related experience
• Post-Secondary education in Supply Chain Management, Business or equivalent experience
• Certification or working towards: SCMP, (or EU or US equivalents, CIPS, CPSM) preferred
• Must have experience in indirect spend management
• Knowledge of procurement/sourcing systems such as Coupa, GEP, and Ariba is an asset
• Strong PowerPoint, Excel, and Power BI/Tableau is an asset along with the ability to perform detailed financial cost analyses and forecasting
• Demonstrated strategic thinking and collaborative skills including negotiation, interviewing, information gathering and active listening skills; ability to develop highly effective working relationships by building credibility, respect, and rapport with internal and external networks
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and appropriately manage highly sensitive information
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to act as a collaborative partner with senior management and positively influence management and staff to act in the best interest of the company
• Excellent management skills including organizational, facilitation, and negotiating skills including conflict management; strong ability to manage time and prioritize multiple priorities and maintain a high sense of urgency
• Strong consulting skills with proven ability to procure and analyze a range of quantitative and qualitative information and use this in developing strategies, plans, policies, and solutions that meet individual, departmental and organizational needs; demonstrated ability to be creative, resourceful, and pragmatic with a solution-focused attitude
• Solid organizational development skills including change management, and time management; ability to implement and manage details, prioritize, and multi-task
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to read, write, communicate, and interpret information accurately; bilingualism an asset; able to develop and build relationships with internal and external partners/team members; able to challenge people, situations, and current thinking effectively and creatively; customer service skills including efficiently and effectively responding to inquires or resolving any conflicts or problems that might arise
• Excellent people management skills including coaching, providing advice and guidance to Associates to resolve issues/problems; evaluating performance and providing feedback to team members; participating in the recruitment, selection, and orientation of staff