Category Lead – Senior - VF

Our client is one of the largest fully regulated natural gas and electric utility companies in the United States.

We are seeking a Category Lead-Senior for a 6+ month contract based in Valparaiso, IN 46383.

You will have the opportunity to work a hybrid schedule (remote on Monday and Friday.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 3+ years strategic sourcing experience, preferably 5+ years. That does not include buyer type experience, someone issuing purchase orders.
• Purchasing experience
• Strong organizational skills, managing multiple projects at once
• Self-starter & Initiative Communication and relationship building (leading without authority)

Responsibilities:

• Establishing, leading/facilitating and supporting cross functional category management teams to develop and maintain category plans and ongoing category performance
• Developing deep knowledge and experience within assigned spend management responsibilities
• Developing spend/performance and external market analyses to monitor category performance and identify performance improvement opportunities
• Developing spend and savings/performance improvement forecasts to monitor progress and ensure goals are achieved
• Developing plans to capture identified opportunities
• Defining category requirements through collaborative efforts with respective stakeholder groups
• Collaborating with stakeholder groups to develop consensus on the appropriate category plans and priorities
• Leading performance improvement initiatives defined by the category plan including strategic sourcing and other performance improvement initiatives
• Establishing, leading/facilitating and supporting cross functional strategic sourcing/performance improvement teams as needed/prescribed by category plans to achieve savings and performance targets (e.g. reduce cost, improve quality and result in a lower total cost of ownership, meeting supplier diversity goals)
• Leading negotiations with suppliers as needed
• Maintaining critical supplier agreements including renewals, negotiation of terms, issue identification, tracking and resolution

Supplier Management responsibilities include:

• Developing and maintaining supplier criticality ratings and managing resulting critical supplier relationships
• Managing supplier relationships including conducting Quarterly Business Reviews with critical suppliers and NiSource
• Executive Sponsors

Stakeholder Management responsibilities include:

• Developing successful partnerships with key stakeholders / business partners to achieve desired results
• Developing and managing cross-functional category management and strategic sourcing teams as needed
• Collaborating with stakeholders to drive needed decisions to achieve desired results

You will receive the following benefits:

• Medical Insurance - Four medical plans to choose from for you and your family
• Dental & Orthodontia Benefits
• Vision Benefits
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Voluntary Life Insurance, Long-Term & Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Hospital Indemnity Insurance
• 401(k) including match with pre and post-tax options
• Paid Sick Time Leave
• Legal and Identity Protection Plans
• Pre-tax Commuter Benefit
• 529 College Saver Plan

Motion Recruitment Partners (MRP) is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including Veterans/Disability/Women. All applicants must be currently authorized to work on a full-time basis in the country for which they are applying, and no sponsorship is currently available. Employment is subject to the successful completion of a pre-employment screening. Accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process as required under MRP’s Employment Accommodation policy. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance.