WNS Denali is a procurement-focused, technology-agnostic managed services provider that enables organizations to win at procurement: influence more spend through Category Management and transition to a New Procurement Operating Model. We support Global 1000 companies by offering an array of best-in-class procurement solutions, including Category Management, Strategic Sourcing and Category Management, Contract and Supplier Management, Tactical and Transactional Procurement, and Accounts Payable. We bring deep Category expertise extending across various direct and indirect spend categories.

Our efforts to integrate human capital strategy into the overall growth strategy have been acknowledged on several leading platforms. We were recently recognized in the AON Best Employer 2017 rankings, a feat that we have achieved for the second consecutive year. The WNS-Denali office in Pittsburgh was named a “Best Place to Work” in 2016, 2017 and 2020.

WNS Denali, provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Summary

The Category Manager’s primary responsibility is to develop and execute global and regional strategies for indirect spend categories for a single, dedicated WNS-Denali client account. He or she is also responsible for developing a strategic sourcing pipeline, building and launching of RFIs/RFPs, planning and executing negotiation strategies, contracting, and managing supplier relationships. A successful Category Manager will drive year over year savings while ensuring quality and service level requirements are met.

This role frequently interacts with senior members of the client’s organization, so he or she must have excellent communication skills and be comfortable leading and participating in discussions across levels and cultures.

In addition to category management responsibilities, the Category Manager may have people management responsibilities for up to 8 team members of various levels ranging from analyst to senior associate across strategic sourcing, sourcing execution, contracting, and procurement operations. He or she is also responsible for creating a positive work environment and fostering cross-functional and cross-regional collaboration.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

·         Developing and executing category strategies with a focus on developing a supply base to meet the changing requirements of the assigned category, analyzing market trends and business environment, and long term commercial strategic direction

·         Leading supplier negotiations within a framework of a strategic contractual relationship

·         Managing overall supplier relationships including supplier performance, capability development, contracting, risk mitigation, cost savings, and quality improvements

·         Identifying cost savings through negotiations, event driven activities, and alternate sourcing strategies to achieve assigned cost reduction goals.

·         Managing the team’s objective setting, performance, career growth, training, and competency development

·         Acting as the escalation point for the category team, communicating and resolving operational issues, and escalating to the Regional Delivery Lead as necessary

·      Serving as Category Pod Lead, holding periodic calls with peers in other regions and sharing best practices

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

·         Deep understanding of category management methods and approaches and an ability to apply various concepts to category-level activities at the client

·         Expertise in Logsitics is a must- including understanding external market dynamics, top suppliers, market trends and highlights, and procurement strategies

·         Ability to determine the appropriate procurement strategy for assigned categories and business requirements

·         Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills

·         Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to provide custom solutions to address the client’s challenges

·         Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects and initiatives simultaneously

·         Strong leadership skills, including ability to motivate and manage people

·         Proficiency using Microsoft Office tools such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint

Required Education and Experience

·         Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience is required

·        MBA or master’s degree in supply chain, operations, or business preferred

·         Minimum of 5-7 years of related work experience within category management, sourcing, or procurement consulting

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.