Category Manager

RESPECT to people, COURAGE to be pioneers and raise the bar, and always demonstrating INTEGRITY and authenticity. Do these core values align with yours? If so, Lhoist North America may be the place for you! We are a company that believes our people make it happen and rewards talent by offering opportunities to further develop your knowledge and interests. Within our organization, we offer safety first environments, collaboration across teams, diverse and inclusive workspaces all while challenging each other to grow.

Application Deadline for this role will be 05/21/2024.

As a Category Manager, you will play a critical role in managing spend categories effectively. You'll be responsible for defining, designing, and implementing processes and tools to successfully manage the assigned spend category(ies). Your focus will be on achieving recurrent Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) improvement, ongoing value creation, and risk mitigation while maintaining service levels and capacity requirements. This role involves close collaboration with key internal stakeholders, strategic supplier management, and the execution of sourcing initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive category management approach that covers short, mid, and long-term strategies and priorities.

• Set clear objectives for the category and align them with organizational goals.

• Establish and manage a robust supplier network.

• Cultivate strategic relationships with key suppliers to maximize value and drive continuous improvement.

• Mitigate risks through effective supplier management.

• Monitor market intelligence by collaborating with internal stakeholders, suppliers, and market experts.

• Identify emerging technologies and evaluate their relevance to the category.

• Identify cost reduction opportunities and productivity enhancements within the category.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement cost-saving initiatives.

• Develop negotiation strategies and lead strategic negotiations with suppliers.

• Ensure successful contract implementation and address any systemic issues.

• Monitor contract compliance and manage supplier performance.

• Work closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Sourcing Managers, and Analysts.

• Uphold discipline by adhering to agreed-upon strategies, plans, and processes.

Attributes

• Demonstrate outstanding cross-functional leadership abilities.

• Influence stakeholders effectively.

• Analyze critical issues and develop methodologies for collecting and interpreting relevant data.

• Develop sourcing strategies aligned with business objectives.

• Communicate clearly and persuasively, both orally and in writing.

• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

• Exhibit eagerness to learn and adapt.

• Show potential for professional development.

Qualifications

Experience: Minimum 8 years in procurement or supply chain management, preferably with complex spend categories (e.g., power and natural gas).

Education: bachelor's degree in business administration, Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.

Physical Demands

• Must be physically capable of performing assigned work. Access all areas within a site which could include heights of 200 feet, confined spaces, climbing ladders or stairs, and accessing tunnels.

• Tolerate working in various conditions, including severe weather, noise, and dust.

• Able to lift to 50 pounds.

• May require travel up to 20% as needed.

Lhoist North America offers a very competitive salary package that includes but is not limited to comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, vacation, and disability insurance. You can plan for your future with Lhoist North America 401K retirement savings options which includes an employer match. Lhoist North America also recognizes the importance of continuing education by offering Educational Assistance to our employees to encourage continued personal development and professional growth.

Here at Lhoist North America, we are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any of these protected characteristics. We encourage applications from all individuals and strongly support diversity in our workplace. We strive to create an inclusive environment for everyone, and we are committed to treating everyone in a fair and equitable manner. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment.