Category Specialist - Decatur, Il Chicago, Il Or Erlanger, Ky

Decatur

IL - Illinois

Procurement

Category Specialist - Decatur, IL Chicago, IL or Erlanger, KY
An opportunity has arisen for a Category Specialist on the Corporate Procurement Team. The main purpose of this role is to develop and execute global category strategies in collaboration with stakeholders and in alignment with global and local sourcing requirements. You will work closely with our business unit leaders to understand implementation challenges and to develop solutions to increase compliance. In this role, you will assist our different businesses to determine and manage requirements by providing insight into alternative options to better control demand.
Your Responsibilities

• Reporting to the Enterprise Software, SaaS, and Hardware Category Manager, the main duties of this role will include:
• Strategic management of Software, SaaS and Hardware categories to manage risk, monitor market conditions, maximize returns, and ensure high-quality, on-time performance for stakeholders;
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with key suppliers, providing high level of issue resolution where necessary (quality and service);
• Drive external / marketplace knowledge of the latest category dynamics, trends and best practices aiming to drive implementation of continuous improvement opportunities;
• Negotiate category's procurement activities, strategic sourcing, supplier management and contract management leveraging company’s 7 step sourcing process;
• Provide leadership and support during sourcing initiatives, including total cost of ownership model development, category strategy development, fact-based negotiation strategy development & execution, supplier evaluation & selection, and category implementation;
• Implement necessary tools and reports to manage categories and supply base e.g. contract management spend management;
• Drive efforts to understand internal customer needs and summarize business requirements as input into enterprise-wide sourcing efforts;
• Establish and evaluate performance metrics for category and own cost saving results

Your Profile

• Bachelor's Degree preferably in Supply Management, Operations, Business or Engineering
• Minimum 5 years business experience with 2 years preferably in procurement (IT-related category management experience is best)
• Familiarity with IT systems, technology and terminology.
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to engage, communicate and influence mid to senior level stakeholders (internal / external) and establish trust and credibility with business unit leaders and other functional stakeholders
• Strong analytical skills with a deep understanding of financial analysis; ability to analyze data as well as draw out and communicate insights
• Capable of creating pre-negotiation strategy including company’s Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)
• Experience in negotiation of complex agreements; commercial skills and familiarity with contract law is a must
• Strong communication skills in English, both verbal and written (fluent in other languages a strong plus)
• Familiarity with multiple source-to-pay systems (eg. COUPA, Ariba, Maximo) and ERP software (JDE, SAP, etc.)
• Global awareness (culture, currencies, geography, and political)
• Professional Purchasing Certification
• Experience in Food/ Agri-business industry
• Experience in LEAN Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and/or project management; Strong Project Execution is a must
• Familiarity with E-sourcing tools (Ariba, Bravo, etc.)

Our Offer

• Challenging tasks, short decision-making processes and a high level of personal responsibility in a modern work environment with flexible work time models
• Room for innovative thinking and growth with the possibility to manage your own career path.
• A company culture which promotes continuous learning and diversity.
• Excellent career opportunities in a world leading nutrition company.
• An attractive remuneration including a variety of social benefits like subsidized health & fitness offers.

This position offers a complete benefit package, including 401K/ESOP, pension, health, life and dental insurance.
ADM requires the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen and a background check.
REF:76573BR

Benefits and Perks
Enriching the quality of life for the world begins by taking care of our colleagues. In addition to competitive pay, we offer a comprehensive total rewards package to support your well-being, including:

• Physical wellness – medical/Rx, dental, vision and life insurance; on-site wellness center access or gym reimbursement (as applicable)
• Financial wellness – flexible spending accounts, 401(k) with matching contributions and cash balance plan, discounted employee stock purchasing program, disability, workers’ compensation, legal assistance, identity theft protection
• Mental and social wellness – Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Additional benefits include:

• Paid vacation time, plus 11 paid holidays and one paid personal day
• Adoption assistance and paid parental leave
• Tuition assistance
• Company-sponsored training and development resources, such as LinkedIn Learning, language training and mentoring programs

#IncludingYou
Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are cornerstones of ADM’s efforts to continue innovating, driving growth, and delivering outstanding performance. We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce and create welcoming, truly inclusive work environments — environments that enable every ADM colleague to feel comfortable on the job, make meaningful contributions to our success, and grow their career. We respect and value the unique backgrounds and experiences that each person can bring to ADM because we know that diversity of perspectives makes us better, together.
We are committed to ensuring all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, disability, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We welcome everyone to apply, especially those individuals who are underrepresented in our industry, as we strive to ensure our workforce represents the world that we help to feed: people of color, women, gender non-conforming, LGBTQIA+, veterans and persons with disabilities. For more information regarding our efforts to advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, please visit our website here: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | ADM.

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ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We're a premier global human and animal nutrition company, delivering solutions today with an eye to the future. We're blazing new trails in health and well-being as our scientists develop groundbreaking products to support healthier living. We're a cutting-edge innovator leading the way to a new future of plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products. We're an unmatched agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. And we're a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize our industry and safeguard our planet. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow. Learn more at www.adm.com.

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