Sourcing Category Manager

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research Function

• Receive and manage incoming opportunity requests until all costs are obtained, communicating with the requestor as needed, and delegate requests for stocked items to assigned Customer Service Representatives.
• Research viable product options using our Preferred Vendor List as a starting point, including total costs, for non-stocked projects and for stocked products when special pricing is requested, collaborating with the requestor as needed.
• Seek out new suppliers as required based on needs and research requests, including sample ordering.
• Submit detailed findings, including costs, vendor backup, and price support, to the requestor and the business development and sales teams.

Vendor-Related Non-Conformances

• Manage the supplier non-conformance process with all external and internal parties involved, including reporting quality issues to vendors and ensuring they understand their responsibility to respond promptly with root cause analysis and preventative action plans.
• Perform risk analysis by reviewing supplier non-conformance trends, vendor audits, and scorecards, and collaborate with business managers on quality improvement processes.
• Manage the supporting documentation process.

Preferred Vendors

• Interface with vendors in a professional manner.
• Maintain the database of approved vendors for quoting purposes.
• Manage data and analysis, and assist with vendor ratings, scorecards, and improvement plans.
• Scan the external environment for new suppliers offering alternative products to round out our offering.

Vendor Pricing

• Manage supplier price changes and store them on the shared drive, reaching out to vendors to gather any essential information omitted, such as price, impact, timing, and reason.
• Proactively contact vendors upon a price decrease announcement to ensure decreases are received from all other vendors in that product or material category.

Sample Product Request Function

• Manage the sample request process: submit requests to suppliers, collect incoming samples, and forward samples to the requester.
• Receive sample requests from CRM or directly from sales and customer service.

Special Projects

• Assist with special projects as needed.

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RELATIONSHIPS & ROLES

Internal / External Cooperation

• Proactively establish and maintain effective working team relationships with all support departments and management levels.
• Maintain a high level of customer and supplier relationship skills, problem-solving skills, and a strong work ethic to maintain competitive positioning and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction.

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QUALIFICATIONS

Job Specifications and Education Requirements

• Education generally equivalent to a bachelor's degree with coursework in Supply Chain Management.
• Supply Chain Management experience.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, customers, and vendors, using office information applications to develop that material.
• Ability to read and interpret purchasing-related documents such as contracts, catalogs, product-related literature, parts and materials specifications, and technical books or manuals.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Packaging industry knowledge a plus.
• Experience working with CRM and business intelligence tools such as Tableau desired.
• Visibility requires maintaining a professional appearance and providing a positive company image to customers and suppliers.
• Role based at the CL Smith offices in St. Louis, MO.