Category Manager

Working Location: MASSACHUSETTS, WESTBOROUGH; MINNESOTA, BROOKLYN PARK 

Workplace Flexibility: Hybrid

 

For more than 100 years, Olympus has focused on making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. ​​

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Every day, we live by our philosophy, True to Life, by advancing medical technologies and elevating the standard of patient care so people everywhere can fulfill their desires, dreams, and lives.

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Our five Core Values empower us to achieve Our Purpose: 

 

Patient Focus, Integrity, Innovation, Impact and Empathy. 

 

Learn more about Life at Olympus.

 

 

Job Description

Category Management is responsible for managing diverse strategic supplier partnerships that drive enterprise value with innovation, best cost and competitive advantages that benefit customers, suppliers and patients. 

The Category Manager supports the development and implementation of long-term strategies for assigned category (Plastics, Metal, Electrics/Mechanicals, OEM/CM, etc.), by clearly understanding the current status and internal requirements, leveraging market intelligence and industry knowledge, in close collaboration with internal stakeholders and the global/regional procurement organization, with a deep knowledge about global and regional market trends as well as manufacturing processes.

This role is responsible for management of tenders, price and contract negotiations through supplier relationship programs and their conclusion as well as driving cost improvement, risk mitigation, and state-of-the-art technology.

Job Duties

• SC Centre of Excellence focus on three domains; 1, Strategy, Process Improvement and Data and Technology.
• Responsible for the procurement category management of one or more of the assigned categories; plastics, metals, electrical/mechanical, packaging, and ceramics, OEM/CM, etc.
• Proactive leadership and management with cross-functional partners to effectively select suppliers, negotiate contracts, and be responsible for supplier performance management and relationships. Understand portfolio risk profile of managed categories.  Develop mitigation action and plans. Closely collaborate with global procurement organization.
• Collaborate with and influence business partners in a highly matrixed environment to optimize key supplier performance and innovation. Influence business decisions to enter/exit product lines, drive make/buy decisions and implement supply optimization.
• Perform data analysis and utilize financial acumen to identify opportunities to leverage scale and drive cost savings. Drives annual cost savings through effective strategies and negotiations.
• Global expertise in category including technical product knowledge, cost drivers, related industry dynamics and market trends. Ensure early supplier identification and selection, working closely with regional Advanced Sourcing Team
• Supports the development and implementation of global supply strategies to achieve best total value, sustainable productivity and high levels of quality and service aligned with business objectives.
• Develop and drive continuous improvements in Category Management processes
• Other essential duties as requested

Job Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related discipline, MBA or equivalent preferred.
• Minimum 5+ years' experience in management of purchasing categories and/or Sourcing.
• Experience working in the medical device, healthcare, or other highly regulated industry preferred.
• Experience of cost improvement (should cost analysis, global market benchmark), risk mitigation (business continuity