Direct Materials Category Manager - Electrical, Electronics, and/or Mechanical
Company: Confidential until initial phone screening
Location: Lakewood, CO. Hybrid
Full-Time Direct Hire W2
Our client, a leader in medical technology, is seeking a skilled Direct Materials Category Manager with expertise in electrical, electronics, and/or mechanical procurement. This role offers an exciting opportunity to drive strategic sourcing initiatives for a key supply category, contributing directly to the quality and cost-effectiveness of products that make a difference in healthcare.
Essential Duties
Develop and implement long-term category strategies for critical direct materials supporting our client's global manufacturing network.
Prepare RFx, analyze proposals, and lead cross-functional supplier selection processes, ensuring value-driven procurement.
Plan and execute supplier negotiations, focusing on pricing, capacity, business, and legal terms.
Build in-depth knowledge of category trends, including cost drivers, global pricing, supply and demand dynamics, and technical processes.
Drive initiatives in alternate sourcing, supplier consolidation, and localization to enhance pricing leverage and optimize cycle times.
Lead efforts to reduce material costs and improve overall category performance, including lead time improvements, minimum order quantity adjustments, localization, and vendor-managed inventory.
Develop comprehensive business cases and ROI models, effectively presenting cost-saving proposals to stakeholders.
Negotiate terms related to payment, delivery, inventory strategies, and lead times with key suppliers.
Work closely with customer-facing, operational, R&D, and Quality Engineering teams to align supplier strategies with product and customer needs.
Qualification Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering; Master's degree in Engineering or MBA preferred.
Experience in a similar role within a global manufacturing company.
Experience in electrical, electronics, and/or mechanical categories is preferred.
Strong understanding of electrical components and their interaction with mechanical systems
Proven track record in managing supply chains in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments.
Proficiency with ERP systems (SAP preferred) and Power BI.
Strong supplier relationship management and contract negotiation skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication abilities and executive-level stakeholder management.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel (advanced formulas, conditional formatting, pivot tables, data analysis), PowerPoint, and MS Outlook.