Category Analyst (m/f/d)

As our Category Analyst (m/f/d), you will be working in a seasoned level procurement/purchasing professional role and have the key responsibility to analyze market outlooks and determine when and what to buy when contracting with vendors, ordering supplies, or making a big investment in a product, or technology, etc.

This role participates in the development and implementation of short-term strategies to procure / purchase commodities across all categories.

What you will do

• Serve as the liaison between the business and vendors
• Sourcing and vetting vendors, negotiating contracts and presenting deals to decision makers
• Reviewing and processing requisitions to ensure timely order submission and negotiating costs, delivery schedules and contract terms
• Analyzing documented comparative costs submitted by suppliers in the RFP process
• Monitoring and updating item, commodity and other tables as given in running purchase order (PO) software application
• Agreeing pricing and performance standards through contracts with suppliers
• Inspecting and testing samples of products and services of vendors and documenting features and benefits of each product, using this information to make the final purchasing decision
• Responsible for documenting the costs for all assigned vendors, as well as generating monthly cost reports to present to stakeholders
• Recommend sourcing strategies to leadership and monitor, pursue and execute tactical and strategic initiatives as assigned
• Administer trends and market conditions and maintain efficient flow of information for all materials
• Prepare recommendations on the design of various cost savings programs and identify new suppliers
• Mentor less experienced members of the team, providing coaching and on-job training as required
• Monitor order fulfilment against purchase orders to ensure on-time deliveries

What we are looking for

• An associate or bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study
• Relevant certifications, e.g., CSCP, CPIM Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Business or related
• Seasoned experience working in the field and related procurement / purchasing operational experience
• Experience conducting cost-benefit analysis
• Seasoned experience in using procurement modules for managing purchase orders, supplier information, and contract management
• Seasoned experience in evaluating the vendors that work with a company based on the vendors price, quality, and availability
• Specialist at the cost-benefit analysis process
• Solid knowledge of the relevant quality standards related to products and services
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills (Excel/Word/PowerPoint)
• Some travel as required