Senior Manager, Global Category Management

Work Location Type: Hybrid 

As a leading industrial distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom, We Keep The World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. With 2023 sales of $16.5 billion, we’re dedicated to providing value for customers, fostering an engaging culture for team members and driving strong financial results.

Our welcoming workplace enables you to learn, grow and make a difference by keeping businesses running and their people safe. As a 2024 Glassdoor Best Place to Work and a Great Place to Work-Certified™ company, we’re looking for passionate people to join our team as we continue leading the industry over our next 100 years.

Position Details: 

As Senior Manager, Global Category Management, you will lead a category management team of 2-5 category managers having North American responsibility for building and managing strategic supplier relationships and cost across multiple indirect product categories which range from $100M - $250M in cost to the business. You will work with the Grainger US partners to lead a North American and local strategy with aligned suppliers to support US, Canada & Mexico. You will report to the Director, Indirect Procurement. 

This is a hybrid position and is based in Lake Forest or Chicago, IL 3 days a week.

You Will: 

• Develop the vision, strategy and implementation plan for specific important strategic suppliers to meet the strategies set forth by partners, and meeting the long-range requirements to deliver maximum savings and value for Grainger 

• Collaborate with partners on a strategy to better support needs or gaps by which we could source suppliers, create bid opportunities or develop opportunities to be considered that will also support savings and value driven actions 

• Develop and implement robust category plans by working directly with internal partners leadership of strategic suppliers to assure agreement of our goals, including cost, quality, reliability, and innovation. 

• Develop deep supplier relationships with strategic suppliers to include business review and analysis, performance management and development and improvement of end-to-end value, and bring innovation to the business 

• Negotiate with suppliers to meet our goals, find savings and value across our departments, ensure the implementation and compliance to agreements and work to benefit all businesses in North America. 

• Identify options that accomplish what needs to be done without compromising value, savings or our internal customer experience and weigh decisions, recommendations, and actions against their material impact to the bottom line 

• Continue to identify internal purchasing and contractual processes and policies to provide better and consistent support for the business. 

You Have: 

• BS/BA degree in purchasing, supply chain or business 

• 7+ years business experience with a working knowledge of Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Cost Accounting, Finance and Economics. 

• Experience leading and coaching direct or indirect team members   

• Supply Chain or Facilities experience preferred

• Travel both domestically and internationally up to 20% 

Rewards and Benefits: 

With benefits starting day one, Grainger is committed to your safety, health and wellbeing. Our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet our team members' individual needs. Check out some of the rewards available to you at Grainger 

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans 

• Paid time off (PTO) and 6 company holidays per year 

• Automatic 6% 401(k) company contribution each pay period 

• Employee discounts, parental leave, 3:1 match on donations and tuition reimbursement 

• A comprehensive set of emotional, financial, physical and social wellbeing programs 

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment.  With this in mind, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.