Category Manager

Howmet Aerospace (Engines) currently seeks a Category Manager to join our team! This role will manage specific commodities within the Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) and Packaging categories for the Engines Category Management Team. The MRO spend for the Engines Business Unit is around $200 million and includes integrated supply, industrial mill supplies, and environmental, health, and safety (EHS) subcategories. The role involves working with a global network of suppliers, requiring strategic planning and active management to meet annual EBITDA and cash targets. Effective supplier management is especially critical as the Engines business recovers from the recent pandemic, ensuring capacity and product availability. Position is located in any of our Howmet Engines locations.

Essential Functions 

• Category Management is responsible for the MRO & Packaging categories of spend within Howmet Engines Business Unit globally which includes but is not limited to integrated supply, industrial mill supplies, EHS supplies and the management of critical supplier relationships. 
• The overall goal is to achieve the best total cost position within the MRO & Packaging categories. This includes, but is not limited to, also achieving the lowest sourcing risk, best supplier performance ensuring the highest efficiency and effectiveness to the business.
• The successful candidate serves as the point of contact for supplier issues within the assigned categories including issues related to service, commercial terms and contract disputes. 
• This position has to execute global best-in-class procurement processes using state-of-the-art procurement IT software support, ensuring the Procurement organization is utilizing the maximum potential within global and local markets (Cost Savings, Innovation, Quality, Logistics).

Job Responsibilities

• Serves as the technical liaison between suppliers, design engineers, Business Unit Procurement Operations, Category Management, and manufacturing 
• Drives early involvement of procurement engineering in product development process and fosters early supplier involvement in close coordination with Category Management
• Drives standardization strategies into BU developments
• Drives the “avoidance of single source situations” into the product development process.
• Creates sourcing Plans for all phases of projects from Concept to Product Transfer to Manufacturing
• Evaluates risks in sourcing strategy while working closely with the BU Procurement team (Operation and Product Engineering) Team
• Estimates costs of tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers (“should-be costs”, “reference models”)
• Challenges and supports negotiations on cost and pricing when estimates are created and when quotes of suppliers are obtained
• Participates in Design Reviews and provides input to Design Engineers through DFx (cost, manufacturing, assembly

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution
• Minimum 5 years work experience in manufacturing environment
• Must be able to travel up to 25% 
• Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
• This position entails access to export-controlled items and employment offers are conditioned upon an applicant's ability to lawfully obtain access to such items

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree preferred 
• Familiarity with Howmet Engines Business Unit
• Experience with dies, fabricated metals, blueprints and materials management
• Strong project management skills