Sourcing Category Manager - Primary Care

Job Summary

This position is responsible for managing purchases of approximately $100 million annually, focusing on best-cost negotiations, consistent and stable supply of goods while reducing risk to Medline. Provide insights on geo-political risks impacting costs and work on solutions globally to reduce risks while finding the next low-cost options. The role involves close collaboration with product management teams for new product launches and the development of sourcing strategies to optimize costs.

Responsibilities include negotiating favorable terms with suppliers, managing product categories, resolving quality issues, and evaluating sourcing strategies for both domestic and international suppliers. Manage a mix of both finished goods, manufacturing inputs, and raw materials to drive value and enhance GM for target commodities.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage direct spend categories to drive to best-cost, supply continuity and reducing risk. Negotiate favorable terms, volume discounts and long-term contracts with suppliers and vendor partners. Leader and owner of category management driving key vendor conversations.
• Manage $75-100M in spend across key medical and raw material categories.
• Provide strategic insights on Global and geopolitical changes impacting tariffs, raw materials and regulatory requirements. (Tariff rates, new laws, and natural resources). Define strategies to overcome obstacles driving higher costs and supply instability.
• Provide high-level product expertise on all managed categories including raw material inputs, manufacturing techniques, key vendors. Provide guidance and recommend actions to reduce costs based continuous improvement processes within Manufacturing, raw material changes, or other cost-down initiatives. Understand how Medline product compares to the competition.
• Manage supplier relationships to secure cost reductions through effective negotiation on pricing and product development opportunities. Contribute to the creation of long-term vendor contracts, rebate plans, and growth incentives to drive cost efficiency.
• Review analysis from the Global Sourcing Operations team on vendor and supplier price increases, evaluating their net impact against rebates. Develop and implement negotiation tactics to mitigate price hikes, utilizing Medline’s volume, sourcing tools, and exploring options such as dual sourcing or engaging new global vendors.
• Develop and execute a risk profile for each sourced country. Consider multiple country sourcing, dual sourcing, and geopolitical factors. Recommend vendors based on that strategic risk assessment
• Manage a broad mix of product categories and become the subject matter expert on product requirements, manufacturing processes, raw materials, and other key value drivers. Analyze and evaluate cost inputs to contribute to cost optimization efforts and drive best-cost outcomes for Medline.
• Evaluate sourcing strategies for domestic versus import suppliers, assessing factors such as cost, quality, and lead time. Conduct Make vs. Buy analysis for sourced products to identify the most cost-effective and efficient solutions.
• Assist in the creation and implementation of a global sourcing strategy to drive vendor performance. Including vendor allocation optimization, re-sourcing and cost containment/reductions for assigned categories. Provide insights based on market research and supplier performance to help optimize the strategy.
• Identify new cost-savings opportunities within the product category to drive GM growth. Support the identification and implementation of Medline-branded opportunities and assist in negotiating long-term deals with both domestic and import suppliers to secure favorable pricing and terms.
• Work collaboratively with Medline Shanghai, Supply Chain, Quality and Product Management teams to maintain and develop vendors and products to reduce supply risk and ensure a healthy supply chain.
• Work closely with the reorder buying group to address ongoing issues with problem suppliers when initial communication efforts have failed. Help analyze the situation, gather necessary data, and facilitate discussions to find…