Category Manager Direct Materials

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Job Description

Transformation of our procurement organization is a top strategic priority for Albemarle, and we believe this presents unique and exciting career opportunities. The world is rapidly changing, and we need to change with it to support the growth and success of our businesses. If you are a forward thinker, with the creativity and maturity to effectively challenge the status quo of our existing business and practices, this opportunity might be for you.

We are building a world class global procurement function focused around; (1) Category Management focused on driving long term sustainable value for the business (2) Procurement Operations providing exceptional support and advisement to our business unit stakeholders and (3) Data Analytics, process excellence, and technology adoption to drive and enable procurement best practices and excellent end-user experience.

The Opportunity

The Category Manager Direct Materials Procurement leadership and internal functional teams to develop and expand complex category strategies at a global and regional level and to ensure the strategies are aligned to the overall business objectives. The role will be focused on cultivating relationships, understanding business goals, and helping to execute category strategies in order to streamline the purchasing process and maximize value delivery to the business. This role is accountable for supplier performance to ensure cost competitiveness, high service level commitment, value creation, partnership, responsible sourcing, sustainability, and innovation. The Category Manager will coach and mentor associate category managers and provide leadership and expectations for the Procurement analyst and drive best practices in category management, supplier relationship management, and performance management to the regional teams. The category manager will be responsible for assisting the regional teams to execute large and complex procurement projects.

Additional Responsibilities And Impact

• Work with key business stakeholders to set category strategy for the fiscal year and beyond (1–3-year timeframe) to manage key supplier relationships and/or projects to drive business value.
• Achieve and report cost savings as well as track other category improvements related to sourcing activities including but not limited to company wide sustainability goals. Leverage spend and negotiate to achieve the best TCO for the business.
• Develop, mentor, and coach associate category managers.
• Partner with Procurement Analysts to complete detailed spend analysis by category or subject matter to understand and manage complex areas of spend.
• Work with key functions such as Legal, HR, and Finance and business unit stakeholders to ensure that sourcing activities comply with applicable company policies and guidelines.
• Drive both global and regional RFI/RFQ/RFP projects as part of the organization’s competitive bidding strategy including vendor evaluation, selection and implementation activities through the use of Procurement technology platforms.
• Cross functional coordination to manage supplier relationships to mitigate risk and to ensure consistency of value and quality to the business.
• Work with Supply Chain Center of Excellence to drive and support adoption of Procurement processes, procedures, and technology.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of sourcing, category best practices, and applicable market data.
• Drive and roll-out Procurement, Category Management, Supplier Relationship best practices across Regional Procurement Service teams.
• Create and maintain category councils across multiple business units and teams.
  
  

What We’re Looking For

• 6-8 years of strategic sourcing/category management and procurement showing increasing growth and responsibilities
• Excellent influencing without authority skills
• Creative thinking and strategic agility/perspective
• Excellent data analysis skills
• Experience understanding category management frameworks and supplier relationship management
• Strongly understand the S2P (Source to Pay) process
• Strong decision-making abilities and business acumen
• Interpersonal skills and ability to partner with stakeholders and multiple functional groups on projects/programs
• High learning agility, change agility, people agility, and results agility
• Dealing with Ambiguity
• Comfort around higher management
• Priority setting
• Negotiation and conflict management skills
• Effective oral and written communications
• Extensive knowledge with Excel, PowerPoint, PowerBI and other advanced analytical tools; experience preferred in procurement platforms (Ariba, Coupa, Ivalua, Jaggaer, Oracle)
• Familiarity with sourcing events and savings methodologies preferred
• Experience in Procurement spend data management and sourcing/contracting tools a plus
• Lean and Change Management experience
• Experience with major ALB goods commodities preferred: raw materials, capital equipment and services, MRO, Energy, Packaging, Facilities Management, Corporate Services, IT, Electrical & Instrumentation, Pump, PVF (Pipes, Valves, Fittings), etc., global freight and logistics
  
  

Language Skills

• English – Proficient to conduct external and internal business
• Other languages such as Spanish/German/Chinese a plus but not required
  
  

Benefits Of Joining Albemarle

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits package
• A diverse array of resources to support you professionally and personally.
  
  

We are partners to one another in pioneering new ways to be better for ourselves, our teams, and our communities. When you join Albemarle, you become our most essential element and you can anticipate competitive compensation, a comprehensive benefits package, and resources that foster your well-being and fuel your personal growth. Help us shape the future, build with purpose and grow together.