Category Manager, North America, Permanent POS

Purpose of the Job

Working in a key role, the Category Manager will be accountable for implementing & driving the vision and strategy of Strategic Sourcing for the Permanent category within North America as part of the global sourcing policy. This position will be accountable for the relevant sourcing activities within North America as we expand our reach. Providing thought leadership around supply chain strategies, building strong relationships, sourcing & research into new suppliers, an understanding of product innovation and knowing how to gain market intelligence is paramount. The successful candidate will manage the dependencies between Strategic Sourcing and relevant stakeholders ensuring effective supplier engagement & involvement of appropriate parties as part of project implementations. This role reports into the Director, Strategic Sourcing, Global Permanent Point of Sale.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Permanent Category Management strategy in North America.
• Manage the full onboarding process for new suppliers via the Vendor Support team.
• Ensure all suppliers have updated contracts signed without exception.
• Ensure all supplier data is complete and correct on HH Global supplier platforms and systems.
• Lead the Quality Assurance process with the supply chain in North America ensuring all suppliers sign up to & adhere to the requirements.
• Support Technical Buying with shortlisting appropriate Permanent suppliers for project, RFQ and client requirements.
• Possess a well-informed assessment of supplier capabilities by clients to support achievement of client broad commercial objectives.
• Build strong senior level relationships with the supply base.
• Arrange supplier audit assessments, onsite audits as appropriate, quarterly supplier performance reviews and feedback.
• Instigate information sessions to inform colleagues & client teams of Permanent supplier capabilities.
• Understand all relevant client accounts and work with Technical Buying Managers, HH Global account teams, and clients where required, to develop and deliver the best in class Permanent vendor solutions.
• Drive the best practice vendor selection and procurement process across all HH Global account teams, working in collaboration with the Technical Buying Managers.
• Handle CAPAR non-conformances relating to Contracts when escalated to this team, ensuring communication with the supplier, correct documentation is raised, appropriate corrective actions have been taken and the CAPAR is closed. Review the CAPAR tracker to monitor supplier and sector performance.
• Ensure consistency of process globally by working with counterparts in other regions to follow the agreed Permanent strategy.
• Ensure the accuracy of information for all relevant supplier data.
• Utilize reports using the B1 tool & any systems available to Strategic Sourcing as required.
• Onboard new suppliers to full commercial terms.
• Move existing suppliers to full commercial terms.
• Transfer existing suppliers to new contract terms within agreed timeframes as required.
• Responsible for delivery of team contribution and other financial KPIs.
• Deliver insight of sourcing benefits and watch outs both within & importing into the North America region to help scope the future strategy for the category.
• Liaise closely with LATAM counterpart to deliver strategic insights into options for domestic or near-shore supply.
• Participate in client facing meetings as required to represent Sourcing.
• Review and revise the strategic approach to the category to support the delivery of a best-in-class Permanent sourcing solution for HH Global and our clients through leveraging your network of industry contacts within the region.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• An experienced professional with a proven track record in sourcing Permanent domestic production POSM for both the Brand and Retail markets within North America.
• An understanding of sourcing Permanent POSM for importing into North America.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the complexities of the category and the various processes involved.
• Conversant with supply chain analysis and dynamics for the Permanent category.
• Ability to shape/influence the supply base within the market.
• Ability to build credible high level relationships.
• Excellent communication skills in spoken and written English.
• Ability to pull together information from various sources and present in a clear format, applying relevant procurement tools and techniques.
• Ability to constructively challenge client facing teams regarding their requirements where appropriate and possess the influencing skills to have an impact at senior level.
• Strong attention to detail and excellent organizational skills are a must as is the ability to handle and prioritize multiple pulls on time.
• Preferably hold a degree in a related subject.
• Ideally gained CIPS Level 4 or above or hold a recognized professional procurement qualification.
• Microsoft office skills, including advanced MS Excel.

Company Benefits

• Healthcare, dental + vision insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• 401k with discretionary company match.
• 16 days of PTO with 9 company holidays + 3 floating holidays.

Your application will be reviewed by a member of our Recruiting Team and we'll reach out to you directly if there's a fit for the position. We're using video conferencing software to conduct many of our interviews, but all interviews will be live with a member of our Recruiting or Hiring teams.