Category Manager - Direct - Military Veterans

Job Summary

Our Category Management team is expanding! We are hiring multiple Category Managers to support specific categories within Direct. These categories include both Facilities/MRO and Product & Engineering .

The Category Manager - Direct is a sourcing professional responsible for between $110 - $115M spend across a single category and multiple Cox divisions. This individual will work autonomously to develop and execute category spend strategies to optimize third party spend, total cost effectiveness, supplier service levels, coordination, delivery, pricing, lead-times, payments, risk mitigation and compliance at an Enterprise level. Stays abreast of market conditions, forces and other dynamics impacting supplier products and services. At an Enterprise level, engages with functional business unit stakeholders, and partners with Sourcing & Procurement Operations as well as boundary partners (Legal, Information Security, Business Operations) to ensure Category Strategies align with and appropriately support business goals and objectives. This role will drive synergies and leverage scale across multiple divisions within Cox. This leader will report to the Director of Category Management supporting executive-level Cox stakeholders and interface with executive-level contacts within the supply base.

 *While several of the qualifications for Category Managers are the same for Facilities and Product Engineering , please note the preferred qualifications listed for each category further below. 

Primary Responsibilities

• Oversight and management of $110M - $115M in spend.
• Develops, implements, and maintains enterprise-level category strategies and plans within various direct and indirect categories in collaboration with internal stakeholders to identify improvement opportunities through industry leading practices, external benchmarks, and best practices.
• Executes category sourcing strategies including development and implementation of RFIs and RFPs, preferred supplier programs, evaluation and selection criteria, negotiations, and ongoing supplier / program management.
• Negotiates favorable pricing, terms and conditions, risk reduction, volume discounts and long-term supplier agreements.
• Provides input to sourcing executives on decisions for the indirect area of capital and operational expenditures.
• Lead the contract review process in collaboration with Legal team.
• Develop total cost of ownership (and “should cost”) model to identify waste and process improvement opportunities that generate cost savings.
• Identify opportunities to extract value for Cox stakeholders through leverage and scale
• Leads or serves as a key team member on projects with strategic, financial, and global impact.
• Interacts with end users, Accounting, senior management, suppliers, and other stakeholders to deliver advice and training as required to ensure understanding of applicable Supply Chain Management practices.
• Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications And Experience

• BA/BS degree in related discipline (e.g., Business, Supply Chain) with 6 years of experience required in a related field OR 10 years of equivalent experience in lieu of a degree.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating contracts with vendors across multiple categories.
• Requires strong knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership, presentation, and collaborative skills to work effectively with teams throughout organization
• Ability to identify opportunities and take necessary actions to continuously improve the value proposition for our customers.
• Career history of success and advancing to increased responsibility and scope.
• Proven experience in category strategy development and Supplier Relationship Management.
• Strong knowledge of category management processes and best practices.
• Experienced/knowledgeable in negotiating business terms and conditions.
• Strong ability to interpret legal terms and conditions and their impact.
• Strong analytics, reporting, and financial acumen skills.
• Ability to solve problems that require research, investigation, and engagement of cross-functional leaders to define and solve.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate with other Cox functions, divisions, and departments and in alignment with Cox’s values and culture.
• Ability to influence others with shared interests to adopt policies, practices, and procedures.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to formulate (and articulate) strategies in a complex business environment. Strong propensity to lead and influence.
• Exceptional negotiation, planning, and organizational skills.
• Strong aptitude for customer service and stakeholder engagement.

Preferred

• Category Manager-Facilities (experience sourcing any of the following):
  • Facilities Services (i.e., Electrical, HVAC, Janitorial, Landscaping, etc.)
  • Light Construction (i.e. Remodels, Design, Roofing, Paving, etc.)
  • Capital Equipment (i.e. Generators, Pumps, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, Material Handling, etc.)

• Category Manager-Product Engineering (experience within the following):
  • Manufacturing and/or engineering
  • Customer Premise Equipment
  • Headend Equipment

• MS degree + 4 years of experience preferred in a related discipline (i.e., Business, Supply Chain, etc.).
• Experience in Telecom or Automotive industries with emphasis on Sourcing, Procurement or Supply Chain.
• Knowledge of Procurement and Supply Chain Systems (i.e., ERP, CLM, spend analytics, e-sourcing, etc.)
• Certification in Supply Chain Management (ISM), CPM, or related.
• Six Sigma Green Belt certification.