What are the responsibilities and job description for the Category Manager position at Washington Metro?
Category Manager
Job ID : 250197
Location :
MD-Metro Bldg New Carrollton
Full / Part Time : Full-Time
Posting Open-Close
03 / 05 / 2025
03 / 18 / 2025
Union
Regular / Temporary :
Regular
Job Description
Minimum Qualifications :
Education
A Bachelor's Degree in business administration, or a related field, with extensive advanced education and / or training in the areas of supply management, public procurement and contract negotiation.
Or, in lieu of a degree, four years of progressively responsible procurement administration and management experience in large public programs may be considered.
Experience
- A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible procurement administration and management experience in large public programs.
Certification / Licensure
Preferred Certification / Licensure
Medical Group :
Satisfactorily complete the medical examination for this position, if required. The incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of this position either with or without reasonable accommodations.
Job Summary / Duties :
The Category Manager is primarily responsible for all aspects of the assigned category. This includes being responsible for mastering knowledge areas such as the category supply market, the key vendors in the market, and trends in the market that affect the Authority¿s cost and or access to the supply market. The employee ensures the efficiency measures (e.g. Spend / FTE, etc.) of the assigned category and the effectiveness (e.g. savings, process cycle times, etc.) of managing that category. The Manager leads the key sourcing process such as : strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, and master data management. The incumbent manages and establishes a sourcing team that is accountable for the comprehensive sourcing process and collaborates with Programs and stakeholders to align with the sourcing strategy. The Category Manager approves and executes contract awards. The incumbent determines vendors¿ classification as strategic, core or basic; and determines if vendor performance issues are minor or are critical and require execution of the issue resolution process.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Develops and implements the sourcing strategy for the designated categories in line with the overall department sourcing strategy to constantly increase productivity, identify cost savings opportunities and optimize Authority-wide spend, Creates and improves specialization and efficiencies within the business line generating buying power and identifying reduction in costs.
Act as the subject matter advisor for assigned category collaborating with management and other subject matter experts to develop category strategies; critical areas of expertise include the supply markets, major vendors, and industry trends that may impact the purchasing for the category. Provides collaborative category management plans to senior management illustrating visibility on risks, total cost of ownership, key operational achievements and measurable deliverables. Performs the role of the trusted adviser and works with the program areas to develop the strategic plan.
Oversees and analyzes competitive bid / proposal, contract development and negotiations, risk assessment and mitigation, as well as on-going strategic supplier relationships and performance management.
Optimizes internal processes, workflows, and interfaces to improve category-specific measures of productivity, efficiency and effectiveness (e.g., savings, process cycle time, Spend / FTE).
Ensures that suppliers are managed effectively through initiatives such as strategic sourcing, performance monitoring against key performance indicators (KPIs), service level agreements (SLAs), benchmarking, contract management and negotiation.
Manages category teams focusing on performance of strategic procurement, including market research, contract formation and vendor management.
Provides input and enforces compliance with Authority¿s policies and procedures for procurement related programs.
Imposes sanctions on vendors for claims of contract breach.
The above duties and responsibilities are not intended to limit specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. It is not intended to limit in any way the right of supervisors to assign, direct and control the work of employees under their supervision.
Evaluation Criteria
Consideration will be given to applicants whose resumes demonstrate the required education and experience. Applicants should include all relevant education and work experience.
Evaluation criteria may include one or more of the following :
Skills and / or behavioral assessment
Personal interview
Verification of education and experience (including certifications and licenses)
Criminal Background Check (a criminal conviction is not an automatic bar to employment)
Medical examination including a drug and alcohol screening (for safety sensitive positions)
Review of a current motor vehicle report
Closing
WMATA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by applicable federal law.
This posting is an announcement of a vacant position under recruitment. It is not intended to replace the official job description. Job descriptions are available upon confirmation of an interview
