Category Specialist - Direct Procurement

Category Specialist - Direct Procurement

Date: Jan 27, 2026

Location: Lakewood, CO, US

In this high‑impact role as a Category Specialist
, you will shape our global procurement strategy by optimizing category spend, strengthening supplier performance, and driving cost‑effective purchasing practices across the organization.

• Identify and execute alternate sourcing, supplier consolidation and localization to maximize pricing leverage and cycle time improvements.
• Drive margin improvements through improved material cost savings.
• Improve category performance: lead time, minimum order quantity, localization, vendor‑managed inventory, payment terms, quality, inventory levels, inventory turns.
• Drive supplier performance improvements to stated goals.
• Understand internal and supplier manufacturing processes to improve cost and reduce waste.
• Prepare business cases with ROI models and present cost savings and risk mitigation proposals for approval.
• Develop and execute RFQs, cost models, estimates for initial project resourcing needs.
• Negotiate business terms related to payment terms, delivery terms, inventory strategies, lead times, price improvement, supply assurance and other strategic issues.
• Provide rigorous analysis of spend data and market trends by site, supplier and/or category.
• Monitor current category market conditions, technology roadmaps and identify supply/demand challenges. Develop, implement and communicate tactical and strategic category plans.
• Accountable for working closely with customer‑facing teams, operations, R&D and supplier engineering teams.
• Manage commodities/materials/spend to achieve the annual performance metrics applicable to Supply Chain – planning, logistics, warehousing, and procurement.
• Construct category and supplier strategies by region that support the manufacturing technologies produced in each region.
• Ensure that all supplier and sourcing strategies support the “best total landed cost” objective of the business.
• Ensure product compliance of suppliers meets all existing and future corporate social responsibility and product compliance requirements. Conduct periodic reviews of suppliers.
• Prepare and provide documentation of such compliance as required by corporate and other regulatory reporting agencies.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
• Experience:
  
  Minimum 4 years in sourcing, procurement, supply chain, manufacturing, operations or R&D in a large, multi‑national medical device company.
• Operational Excellence experience (Lean, Six Sigma, or Similar).
• Proven success in managing suppliers or in managing complex manufacturing processes.

• Knowledge and use of relevant PC software applications.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Proven track record of driving positive results and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Highly self‑motivated team player with strong stakeholder engagement.

Willing to travel regional and globally as required 10 – 25 %.

• Typical office environment requirements: reading, speaking, hearing, close vision, walking, bending, sitting, occasional lifting up to 20 pounds.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.

Target Pay Range: $ – $
Target Bonus on Base: 7 %

Competitive total reward offering including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, 401(k) plan with company match, vacation and sick time, wellness program and voluntary programs.

We are a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will be afforded equal opportunity without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, order of protection status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability unrelated to ability, military status or an unfavorable discharge from military service.

Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies is committed to providing a safe, healthy and secure working environment. Our Colorado campus locations are tobacco‑free workplaces, and we maintain a drug‑free workplace and perform pre‑employment substance abuse testing and detailed background verification.