Manager, Category Management

Description:
This manager level position is responsible for managing the development of category/spend strategies for key categories by leveraging extensive knowledge of the markets, suppliers and stakeholder needs; developing and maintaining relationships with key internal clients and suppliers; owning end-to-end delivery of business needs for categories under management; identifying and understanding key initiatives of internal clients and short, medium, and long-term goals; ensuring alignment of initiatives and strategies with client expectations; managing the adoption of change practices with customers, suppliers and stakeholders to drive strategic programs; and interacting with senior leadership to review and drive decisions.
This position is also responsible for managing the RFP process and/or supplier negotiations; managing the development and execution of RFPs; reviewing and leveraging analytics and insights to ensure data-driven decisions; analyzing category spend to understand price drivers and trends; applying cost and supply market analytics; and applying a digital mindset to adopt new technologies in the source to pay space.

• Provides developmental opportunities for others; builds collaborative, cross-functional relationships. Solicits and acts on performance feedback; works closely with employees to set goals and provide open feedback and coaching to drive performance improvement. Pursues professional growth; develops and provides training and development to talent for growth opportunities; supports execution of performance management guidelines and expectations. Leads, adapts, implements, and stays up to date with organizational change, challenges, feedback, best practices, processes, and industry trends. Fosters open dialogue amongst team members, engages, motivates, and promotes collaboration within and across teams.


• Delegates tasks and decisions as appropriate; provides appropriate support, guidance, and scope; encourages development and consideration of options in decision making. Manages designated work unit or team by translating business plans into tactical action items; oversees the completion of work assignments and identifies opportunities for improvement; ensures all policies and procedures are followed. Aligns team efforts; builds accountability for and measuring progress in achieving results; determines and ensures processes and methodologies are implemented; resolves escalated issues as appropriate; sets standards and measures progress. Fosters the development of work plans to meet business priorities and deadlines; obtains and distributes resources. Removes obstacles that impact performance; identifies and addresses improvement opportunities; guides performance and develops contingency plans accordingly; influences teams to execute in alignment with operational objectives.


• Manages the development of category/spend strategies for key categories by leveraging extensive knowledge of the markets, suppliers and stakeholder needs; driving clear, informed decisions based upon a multi-year strategy; managing end-to-end delivery of business needs for assigned categories; keeping current on external and internal influences that may impact the larger organization (e.g., Healthcare Reform, macroeconomic issues, etc.); and partnering with senior leadership to review and drive decisions.


• Develops and maintains relationships with key internal clients and suppliers by building strong, collaborative relationships with internal clients across the business to gain buy-in and deliver value; identifying and understanding key initiatives of internal clients and short, medium, and long-term goals; working with suppliers to identify and pursue opportunities to drive improved quality and delivery performance; assuring alignment of initiatives and strategies with client expectations to drive value, innovation, service/supply resiliency, quality of care and governance; and partnering with cross-functional stakeholders (e.g., Portfolio Leads, Sourcing, Procurement Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, etc.) to advance Category Management capabilities.


• Manages RFP process and/or supplier negotiations and facilitates contracting to deliver strategic value by leveraging appropriate negotiation strategies, tactics, and processes in line with situational demands; leading contract negotiations in partnership with Legal; and managing the development and execution of RFPs to drive the strategic sourcing process.


• Reviews and leverages analytics and insights to ensure data-driven decisions by reviewing the analysis of category spend to understand price drivers and trends; applying cost and supply market analytics to enhance category strategies; and applying a digital mindset to adopt new technologies in the source to pay space.


• Manages the adoption of change practices with customers, suppliers and stakeholders to drive the implementation and/or modification of new or existing strategic programs (e.g., Source to Pay transformation, Category Management training programs, etc.).


• Contributes to KPs Sustainability and Environmental goals and serves as an advocate to further advance results in Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP).