Associate Category Sourcing Manager (Project Management)

Job Summary

Medline has an immediate opening for an Associate Category Sourcing Manager, located at our headquarters in Northfield, IL offering a hybrid work model. This role plays a crucial strategic role in overseeing spend for Medline, managing approximately $50 million in spend. The associate provides strategic insight on geo-political and cost inputs impacting Medline's ability to buy goods on a global scale. The associate will provide best-cost solutions and negotiations by leveraging the global competitive vendor market to ensure Medline works with high-quality suppliers who provide consistent supply and reduce risk to Medline. Be the subject matter expert on assigned product categories and cost inputs.

Job Description

Responsibilities:

• Manage direct spend categories to drive to best-cost, supply continuity and reducing risk.  Negotiate favorable terms, volume discounts and long-term contracts with suppliers and vendor partners.  Leader and owner of category management driving key vendor conversations.

• Manage $50M in spend across key medical and raw material categories

• Provide strategic insights on Global and geopolitical changes impacting tariffs, raw materials and regulatory requirements. (Tariff rates, new laws, and natural resources)

• Be a product expert on all managed categories including raw material inputs, manufacturing techniques, key vendors.  Understand how Medline product compares to the competition/

• Manage and secure cost reductions by working with suppliers on price and potential product development.  This can include developing long-term vendor contracts, rebate plans and growth incentives.

• Review analysis from Global Sourcing Operations team on  vendor and supplier price increases and net against rebates for total impact to the division, and develop negotiation tactics to mitigate all increases. Leverage souring toolkit and Medline volume to open negotiations, switch to dual source vendor, or develop new vendors globally to mitigate.

• Develop and execute a risk profile for each sourced country.  Consider multiple country sourcing, dual sourcing, and geopolitical factors.  Recommend vendors based on that strategic risk assessment

• Develop expertise in assigned product categories and cost inputs, focusing on understanding product requirements, manufacturing processes, and raw materials. Assist in analyzing cost drivers to support Medline's goal of achieving the best cost solutions.

• Assist in the creation and implementation of a global sourcing strategy to drive vendor performance.  Including vendor allocation optimization, re-sourcing and cost containment/reductions for assigned categories.

• Work collaboratively with Medline Shanghai, Supply Chain, Quality and Product Management teams to maintain and develop vendors and products to reduce supply risk and ensure a healthy supply chain.

• Manage activity for Medline part and vendors numbers   Establish new part numbers for supplier moves, packaging optimization and PIR's.

• Assist the reorder buying group in addressing issues with problem suppliers when communication efforts have not led to resolution. Support in gathering relevant information and escalating issues as needed to ensure timely resolution.

Required Experience:

Education

• Bachelor's degree.             

Work Experience

• At least 2 years of sourcing experience.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Advanced proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

• Position requires travel up to 20% of the time for business purposes (domestic and international).

• Experience leading category strategies, supplier relationship management, sourcing initiatives.

• Experience negotiating with outside vendors, including negotiating contracts, prices and reconciling differences. 

• Experienced in documenting procedures and internal controls.

• Experience analyzing and reporting data in order to identify issues, trends, or exceptions to drive improvement of results and find solutions.

• Experience controlling and coordinating concurrent projects, competing priorities and critical deadlines.

• Ability to work across multiple time zones and locations.

Medline Industries, LP, and its subsidiaries, offer a competitive total rewards package, continuing education & training, and tremendous potential with a growing worldwide organization.

The anticipated salary range for this position:

$73,840.00 - $107,120.00 Annual

The actual salary will vary based on applicant's location, education, experience, skills, and abilities. This role is bonus and/or incentive eligible. Medline will not pay less than the applicable minimum wage or salary threshold.

Our benefit package includes health insurance, life and disability, 401(k) contributions, paid time off, etc., for employees working 30 or more hours per week on average. For a more comprehensive list of our benefits please click here. For roles where employees work less than 30 hours per week, benefits include 401(k) contributions as well as access to the Employee Assistance Program, Employee Resource Groups and the Employee Service Corp.

Every day, we're focused on building a more diverse and inclusive company, one that recognizes, values and respects the differences we all bring to the workplace. From doing what's right to delivering business results, together, we're better. Explore our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion page here.

Medline Industries, LP is an equal opportunity employer. Medline evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic.