Global Category Manager – Research & Development
Hybrid · Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Job Summary
Global Category Manager – R&D responsible for developing and executing global category strategies for R&D-related external spend (lab supplies, lab equipment & instrumentation, lab services, lab testing, and contracted research). Partners with R&D, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Legal, and site leadership to ensure sourcing strategies support innovation velocity, technical rigor, regulatory compliance, and cost competitiveness. Leads end-to-end category ownership from strategy through supplier performance, across regions/sites. Emphasizes strategic sourcing, contract negotiations (MSAs/framework agreements), and governance, while driving supplier relationships, SRM, and cross-functional collaboration. Requires strong understanding of R&D procurement dynamics, analytical capabilities (TCO, should-cost, NPV), negotiation and stakeholder management skills, and the ability to manage multiple global initiatives in a fast-moving environment.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Sciences, Supply Chain, Business, or related field
- 5–10 years of progressive procurement experience, with exposure to R&D, laboratory, or technically complex service categories strongly preferred
- Demonstrated experience negotiating global or multi-site agreements with strong understanding of commercial and legal terms
- Advanced Excel skills; strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office and SharePoint
- CPSM or equivalent professional certification preferred
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