View all jobs
Category Manager (Raw and Direct Materials for Manufacturing)
Denver, CO · $100,000 to $120,000OPEN JOB: Category Manager- Direct Materials
LOCATION: Denver, Colorado
HYBRID - 3 days in office, 2 days work from home
SALARY: $100,000 to $120,000
INDUSTRY: Manufacturing & Production
JOB CATEGORY: Materials Management - Supply Chain
IDEAL CANDIDATE:
ROLE:
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Category Performance
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education & Experience
If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity, please respond back and include the following:
Upon receipt, one of our managers will contact you to discuss the position in full detail.
Stephen Fleischner
Recruiting Manager
INTERMEDIA GROUP, INC.
EMAIL: sfleischner@intermediagroup.com
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefleischner/
LOCATION: Denver, Colorado
HYBRID - 3 days in office, 2 days work from home
SALARY: $100,000 to $120,000
INDUSTRY: Manufacturing & Production
JOB CATEGORY: Materials Management - Supply Chain
IDEAL CANDIDATE:
- Must come from another manufacturing company where they are sourcing raw or direct materials.
- Experience managing $20M in spend
- Contract experience
- Sourcing direct materials for a manufacturing company
ROLE:
- The Category Manager – Direct Materials is accountable for developing and executing sourcing strategies that optimize cost, quality, and supply continuity across operations.
- This role leads complex, multi‑facility sourcing initiatives; drives supplier performance and capability development; and partners closely with R&D, Product Management, and operations teams to deliver measurable business results.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Category Performance
- Develop and execute data‑driven sourcing strategies for resale product categories to improve cost structure, mitigate risk, and enhance supplier value.
- Build and maintain robust should‑cost models to guide negotiations, evaluate pricing proposals, and support long‑term cost optimization.
- Deliver year‑over‑year cost savings through structured negotiations, supplier workshops, competitive bidding, value engineering, and supply‑base rationalization.
- Monitor and report category performance using monthly scorecards, KPIs, and executive‑level updates.
- Lead multi‑functional project teams—spanning R&D, Product Management, Operations, Finance, and Quality—to qualify new suppliers, onboard new products, and support product innovation initiatives.
- Drive supplier development programs to enhance supplier capabilities, improve quality, and ensure long‑term alignment with business objectives.
- Manage contracts across the resale category, ensuring compliance, performance tracking, and timely renewals.
- Identify and implement process improvements that streamline supply chain operations and eliminate inefficiencies.
- Serve as the primary commercial interface for internal stakeholders across facilities, ensuring seamless communication, alignment, and timely issue resolution.
- Partner with R&D and Product Managers to evaluate alternative materials, support new product development, and enable sustainable sourcing decisions.
- Engage stakeholders at multiple levels of the organization to drive adoption of sourcing strategies, influence decision‑making, and ensure business continuity.
- Ensure uninterrupted supply of resale products to facilities by proactively identifying risks, developing contingency plans, and maintaining strong supplier relationships.
- Conduct root‑cause analyses for supply disruptions and lead corrective‑action initiatives in partnership with suppliers and internal teams.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree required.
- Minimum 5 years of experience in supply chain or related experience, 3 of which should be experience sourcing with a major organization.
- Must come from another manufacturing company where they are sourcing raw or direct materials.
- Experience managing $20M in spend
- Contract experience
- Sourcing direct materials for a manufacturing company
- CPSM certification desirable.
- Demonstrated experience with should‑cost modeling and cost‑analysis techniques.
- Strong contract negotiation skills and working knowledge of contract development and contract law.
- Working knowledge of commodity management principles and e‑sourcing tools.
- Experience with SAP or similar ERP system; proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Proven ability to manage supplier relationships and lead cross‑functional projects to successful outcomes.
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including presenting to non‑technical audiences.
- Strong analytical, strategic‑thinking, and problem‑solving abilities.
- Proactive, collaborative approach with openness to feedback, mentoring, and continuous improvement.
If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity, please respond back and include the following:
- MS WORD Resume
- required compensation.
- Contact information.
- Availability
Upon receipt, one of our managers will contact you to discuss the position in full detail.
Stephen Fleischner
Recruiting Manager
INTERMEDIA GROUP, INC.
EMAIL: sfleischner@intermediagroup.com
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefleischner/