Category Manager (Professional Services)

Summary

Strategic Supply Management (SSM) supports NYPA’S and NYS Canals Corporation VISION2030 and beyond with safe, risk averse, cost effective and timely Contracts. Upholds NYPA Values, Ethics, and Guidelines and enables NYPA to achieve its goals by being a strategic partner to our business stakeholders. Develops deep market knowledge aligning with NYPA’s major spend categories and leads in capability and technology to sustainably develop local economics and utilize diverse suppliers.

The Category Management pillar supports the business to procure the goods and services needed while improving total cost of ownership, driving opportunities to increase diversity spending, identifying, and implementing new efficiencies in partnership with our suppliers, and acting as a steward of NYPA’s procurement Guidelines.

Develops and implements a strategic approach to organizing procurement resources to focus on specific categories based on market analysis and demand forecasting. Includes category plans, strategic sourcing, managing specific categories supplier contract performance, and process improvements with suppliers.  Manages or performs work associated with coordinating, negotiating, and administering procurement proposals, bids, and contracts with suppliers/vendors. #LI-VB1
 

Responsibilities

• Support Category Management leadership to create value, drive continuous improvement, and report realized savings by using strategic sourcing and category management best practices. 
• Collaborate with teams and assist Buyers to develop category strategies and initiatives. 
• Improve and introduce technologies, processes, and systems to better manage usage and evaluation of purchases for goods and services to align to business requirements
• Manage the sourcing and category management activities and assist with conduct sourcing events for pertinent category.
• Develop market analysis to understand supply and market for category, update category profile, execute category governance initiatives and total cost of ownership, evaluate demand to increase efficiency, modify Category Playbooks to identify and pursue savings, coordinate with other internal teams to drive demand/project planning.
• Work collaboratively with SSM Leadership, Canal Corporation, and internal stakeholders to develop a demand plan that aligns with the resources of the staff and schedules that meets stakeholder expectations.
• Oversee and train the development of entry level Strategic Buyers.
• Oversee generation of SAP procurement reports to examine transactions for discrepancies, and noncompliance issues to support monthly reporting.
   

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Think strategically, to proactively understand customer needs, and provide solutions to overcome obstacles. 
• Highly collaborative and team-oriented, with ability to build relationships with suppliers and technical and business resources. 
• Excellent organizational, communication and project management skills with exceptional follow through and attention to detail. 
• Ability to effectively manage and prioritize multiple programs with varying competing deadlines. 
• Strong verbal and written communication skills necessary to help develop technical requirements. 
• Problem-solving skills with the ability to identify, quantify and utilize information to make recommendations that support business choices. 
• Advanced knowledge of sourcing platforms and enterprise resource planning, i.e. Ariba eSourcing, SAP, and other related systems and solutions. 
• Ability to lead and coach others through  complex work efforts in these areas: Risk Mitigation, Project Management, Total Cost of Ownership, Supplier Relationship Management, Contract Management.
   

Education, Experience and Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Operations, or similar field.
• Minimum five years of professional experience in Procurement, Finance, Accounting, Supply Chain, Engineering, or related functional area.
• Managerial or supervisory experience preferred.
• Utilities industry experience preferred.

Physical Requirements

Up to 25% travel  among sites from time to time, and potentially attend the more critical meetings that may take place at supplier locations.