Senior Category Management - Raw Materials

Senior Category Manager – Raw Materials & Mechanical

Join our client's Group Strategic Procurement team to develop and lead commodity strategies for raw materials and mechanical parts. Focus on cost savings, supply chain resilience, and innovation in a regulated industry. Ideal for experienced procurement leaders from aerospace, defense, or automotive.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy Development : Build plans for steel, aluminum, titanium, composites, powders, fasteners, forgings, and plastics to achieve cost efficiency, risk mitigation, and value creation.
• Sourcing and Supplier Management : Lead rationalization, make-vs-buy analysis, long-term agreements, and risk mitigation like VMI and dual-sourcing.
• Value and Innovation : Optimize material use, reduce waste, negotiate contracts, and implement innovations for prototype and production supply.
• Collaboration : Work with Engineering, Production, and Program Management to align procurement with business needs.

Key Requirements

• Market Analysis : Monitor global markets, supply bases, and trends to guide strategies.
• Supplier Negotiations : Handle Design & Build, Build-to-Print, and COTS contracts; build KPI-based partnerships with localization and sustainability focus.
• Risk Management : Address risks in critical materials and chemicals.
• Stakeholder Engagement : Advise on procurement strategy and build internal relationships.

Candidate Profile

Experience (10–15 Years)

• Procurement or commodity management in regulated industries (aerospace, defense, or automotive preferred).
• Expertise in specified raw materials and components.
• Track record of cost savings/avoidance, supplier improvements via VMI, e-auctions, and contracts.

Education

• Required: Engineering degree.
• Preferred: CIPS membership.

Skills

• Strong commercial and analytical skills with global negotiation experience.
• Leadership to work independently and in teams.
• Knowledge of contracts, compliance, and regulated supply chains.