Category Manager

Everything we do at Sunrun is driven by a determination to transform the way we power our lives. We know that starts at the individual employee level. We strive to foster an environment you can thrive in through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging.

The Sr. Category Manager designs, executes, and trains department members on effective procurement strategies, from market and spend analysis to the identification of procurement needs for goods and services. This role is responsible for negotiating, coordinating, and ensuring that assigned spend categories and services are procured at the lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The position involves assessing near-term and long-term plans to ensure supplier priorities align with business needs, consulting with senior management and subject matter experts to develop alternative solutions, and advising on options, risks, total cost of ownership, and business impacts.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership and Training:

• Develop, coach, and execute strategic sourcing strategies, best practices, and initiatives that deliver improvements in supplier quality, total cost effectiveness, enhanced service levels, and reduced lead times.
• Create best practices for all sourcing categories, including developing and executing RFIs and RFPs, and train team members in these processes.

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• Build and maintain performance-based supplier relationships to achieve optimal pricing, quality improvements, process enhancements, and solutions delivery.

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• Design frameworks for supplier performance monitoring, ensuring compliance with delivery dates and contractual requirements.

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• Manage spend portfolios through coordinated sourcing waves and project sourcing activities, addressing evolving business needs.
• Develop total cost of ownership models, manage cost drivers, and drive continuous improvement in supplier and commodity performance.

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• Build, train, and coach supplier performance management and continuous improvement processes.

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• Act as the internal point of contact for supplier management and complaint resolution, designing systems, processes, and service levels.

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• Champion weekly category review meetings with category leads to manage category performance and align on strategic goals.

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• Manage cross-functional sourcing teams to develop and implement category strategies, ensuring cost savings and value realization.
• Demonstrate ability to work in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment while managing multiple stakeholders, responsibilities, and first-of-their-kind programs.

• Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Industrial or Operations Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field required; Master's degree preferred.

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