Category Manager

About the role

The Category Manager is a highly visible position within the business and operations. The role is responsible for building short and long-term category strategy to ensure operational optimization. This role is expected to establish cross-functional networks and foster collaboration with suppliers, the wider supply chain organization, and internal stakeholders across the organization. The Category Manager owns the vendor performance data and reports metrics to leadership and the Supply Chain teams.

This position is part of the Corporate Supply Chain team, which operates out of Mueller's corporate office in Atlanta, Georgia. The ideal candidate will be agreeable to a hybrid working arrangement, where work is conducted in the corporate office, plant locations and remotely, as needed to support the needs of the business. This position requires 10-20% travel at any given time.

Key Responsibilities

• This role will lead enterprise-wide commodity strategy, sourcing, supplier partnership management and cost optimization for multiple indirect spend categories, including packaging and facilities.
• Develop and manage a category strategy which optimizes affordability, availability, agility, and innovation.
• Lead the end-to-end strategic sourcing process, including opportunity assessment, strategy development, RFx execution, supplier evaluation, negotiations, contract reviews and performance management.
• Balance enterprise commodity strategies with site-specific technical and operational requirements.
• Analyze spend, pricing, consumption, supplier performance, and market data and provide recommendations to leadership.
• Support other procurement priorities based on business needs.
• Develop and maintain expert knowledge of respective supply markets, competitors, and product innovations

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• 5+ years' experience in sourcing environment and familiarity with industrial operations

Preferred Qualifications

• Sourcing or commodity-management experience with the facilities and packaging categories
• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, engineering, finance, or business
• MBA or professional certifications (CPM, CPSM, CIRM, CPIM)
• Strong understanding of total cost of ownership (TCO), cost drivers, and supplier economics.
• Ability to manage multiple high-impact initiatives and priorities simultaneously, with strong attention to detail and a disciplined process-oriented approach.
• Proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook. Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills with ability to communicate insights to senior stakeholders.
• Experience with strategic sourcing and lean tools
• Strong knowledge of supply chain strategy (development and execution) and category specific experience
• Independently driven problem solver with appetite to address complex challenges in a fast-moving environment
• Proven track record of successful leadership, negotiation, and strategic communication
• Strong business acumen and experience collaborating across various levels within a diverse, global organization
• Ability to summarize ideas and present concisely to upper management and team members, to build support on category strategy, and implement in a matrix environment

Other Compensation & Benefits

Mueller offers an excellent salary and benefits package. Current benefit offerings include medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401k plan with 5% Company match, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), short-term and long-term disability benefits, vacation, 100% paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement program, student debt retirement matching, well-being program, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company-provided life insurance, supplemental insurance at group rates, and more.