Senior Category Mananger

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior Category Manager based in United States. As Senior Category Manager, you will lead complex chemical categories and shape sourcing strategies that create sustainable commercial value. You will own category strategies end-to-end, balancing cost optimization, supply resilience, innovation, risk, and responsible procurement. The role combines deep market intelligence, sophisticated analytics, and high-value negotiation with strategic stakeholder management. You will partner across commercial, operations, supply chain, technical, and global procurement teams in a highly collaborative environment. Your insights will directly influence supplier portfolios, sourcing decisions, contracts, and long-term business performance. This is an opportunity for an experienced procurement professional to operate with significant autonomy and visibility across a global organization. The position is fully remote in the United States, with up to 30% travel. Develop and execute forward-looking category strategies that align sourcing decisions with broader business priorities, market conditions, and long-term value creation. Analyze spend, demand, supplier markets, and industry intelligence to identify savings, optimization, resilience, and innovation opportunities. Build transparent cost models and forecasting frameworks to support data-driven sourcing and procurement decisions. Lead make-versus-buy and insourcing analyses using total cost of ownership principles. Develop supplier portfolio strategies, including volume allocation, supplier selection, and the introduction of new strategic partners. Lead complex RFPs, evaluate award scenarios, and negotiate high-value commercial agreements that balance cost, quality, supply security, risk, and strategic objectives. Manage contract structures, pricing mechanisms, supplier performance metrics, and risk mitigation strategies. Build and maintain a preferred global supplier network based on strong, trust-based, long-term relationships. Communicate category strategies, market developments, risks, trade-offs, and recommendations clearly to senior leadership and key stakeholders. Influence and collaborate with commercial, operations, supply chain, technical, and procurement teams to secure alignment and successful execution of category strategies. Ensure procurement activities support applicable Environmental, Health & Safety standards and Responsible Care principles. Monitor evolving industry and market trends and translate relevant developments into actionable sourcing strategies. Requirements: 7+ years of sourcing experience or relevant technical experience in areas such as product management, R&D, process technology, or production. Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Supply Chain, Business Administration, or a related discipline; an MBA or MS is preferred. Strong commercial judgment and demonstrated experience leading complex, high-value negotiations. Proven ability to develop cost models, forecasting frameworks, and insights-driven category strategies. Solid understanding of contract structures, pricing mechanisms, supplier management, and total cost of ownership principles. Working knowledge of SAP is preferred. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, formulas, and analytical modeling, as well as strong PowerPoint and Word skills. Ability to influence senior stakeholders and build effective partnerships within a complex, matrixed organization. Strong planning, decision-making, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities. Comfortable managing priorities in a fast-paced, evolving global environment with a high degree of autonomy. Excellent written and verbal communication skills; additional language capabilities are a plus. Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative, inclusive approach to working with diverse teams.