Category Leader, Procurement- Professional Services
Position can be based in Chicago or Decatur, IL or Erlanger, KY
 The role
An opportunity has arisen for a Category Leader on the Corporate Procurement team. The main purpose of this role is to develop and execute global category strategies in collaboration with stakeholders and in alignment with global and local sourcing requirements. You will work closely with our business unit leaders to understand implementation challenges and to develop solutions to increase compliance. In this role, you will assist our different businesses to determine and manage requirements by providing insight into alternative options to better control demand.

Your ResponsibilitiesThe main duties of this role will include:Strategic management of IT categories, such as Software, Hardware, SaaS, or Services, to manage risk, monitor market conditions, maximize returns, and ensure high-quality, on-time performance for stakeholders;Establish and maintain effective relationships with key suppliers, providing high level of issue resolution where necessary (quality and service);Drive external / marketplace knowledge of the latest category dynamics, trends, and best practices, aiming to drive implementation of continuous improvement opportunities;Develop an annual plan for value delivery based on organizational goals/objectives and marketplace knowledge;Negotiate category's procurement activities, strategic sourcing, supplier management and contract management leveraging company’s 7 step sourcing process;Provide leadership and support during sourcing initiatives, including total cost of ownership model development, category strategy development, fact-based negotiation strategy development & execution, supplier evaluation & selection, and category strategy implementation;Streamline P2P Process by ensuring consistency and best practices sharing across Businesses;Implement necessary tools and reports to manage categories and supply base e.g. contract management, spend management;Drive efforts to understand internal customer needs and summarize business requirements as input into enterprise-wide sourcing efforts;Proactively engage internal stakeholders to align objectives, jointly develop category strategies, and communicate market and sourcing information;Establish and evaluate performance metrics for category and own cost saving results.Your ProfileBachelor's Degree preferably in Supply Management, Finance, Business, or a related areaMinimum 5 years business experience with 3 years preferably in IT procurement (or related category)Strong interpersonal skills with ability to engage, communicate with and influence mid to senior level stakeholders (internal and external) and establish trust and credibility with business unit leaders and other functional stakeholdersStrong analytical skills with a deep understanding of financial analysis; ability to analyze data as well as draw out and communicate insightsExperience working with IT infrastructure & operationsCapable of creating pre-negotiation strategy including company’s Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)Experience in negotiation of complex agreements; commercial skills and familiarity with contract law is a mustStrong communication skills both verbal and written (fluent in other languages, especially Spanish or Portuguese, a strong plus)Familiarity with multiple source-to-pay systems (eg. COUPA, Ariba, Maximo) and ERP software (JDE, SAP, etc.)Global awareness (culture, currencies, geography, and political)Professional Purchasing CertificationExperience in Food/ Agri-business industryExperience in LEAN Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and/or project management; Strong Project Execution is a mustFamiliarity with E-sourcing tools (Ariba, Bravo, etc.) Excited about this role but don’t think you meet every requirement listed? We encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings.

ADM requires the successful completion of a background check. 

REF:98612BR