POSITION SUMMARY:
This role develops and executes procurement strategies that drive innovation, ensures supply continuity, optimizes cost, and strengthens supplier stewardship across Balchem's direct spend categories in the U.S. and Europe.
The Category Manager defines sourcing strategies, manages stakeholder alignment, and delivers total cost of ownership improvements through market insight, risk management, and disciplined execution.
This high-visibility role partners across business units and cross-functional teams to build a best-in-class supplier network that delivers innovation, financial improvement, and reliable supply.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:The manager will create an Annual Work Plan and review quarterly with their manager to ensure alignment on priorities and deliverables.
Strategy Development and Sourcing Execution Lead the development and execution of procurement strategies with cross-functional teams, including market analysis, supplier capability assessment, and supplier relationship management.
- Build stakeholder alignment around sourcing, implementation, and compliance initiatives.
- Provide market intelligence and category expertise to inform sourcing and business strategy.
- Develop and prioritize a pipeline of sourcing and value-creation projects.
- Lead sourcing events, negotiation strategies, and end-to-end supplier selection processes.
- Manage RFIs/RFPs, contracts, SLAs, and related strategic sourcing activities.
- Challenge specifications and identify innovative supply solutions that create a competitive advantage for Balchem.
- Drive project execution, governance, and progress reporting against strategy and performance goals.
- Build cost models, should-cost analyses, and make-versus-buy scenarios to improve total cost of ownership.
- Support process improvements and drive change management across the organization to elevate the impact of Procurement on Balchem business objectives.
- Regular KPI reporting to senior leadership.
Supplier Management and Capability Development Partner with suppliers and internal stakeholders to improve cost, quality, service, and innovation.
- Identify and qualify new suppliers to strengthen cost, service, and capability options.
- Manage strategic supplier relationships to improve financial and operational performance.
- Promote supplier innovation aligned with stakeholders and business goals.
- Resolve supplier performance issues affecting cost, quality, or service.
- Support supplier scorecards, KPIs, contract compliance, and performance feedback.
- Lead collaborative sessions to identify total cost of ownership reduction opportunities.
Business, R&D, and Supply Chain PartnershipPartners across R&D, Quality, Supply Chain, Legal, and the business to drive growth, profitability, and operational effectiveness.
- Support and communicate procurement objectives, strategies, and vision for direct materials.
- Influence business, innovation, and supply chain strategies through cross-functional leadership engagement.
- Build and advance continuous improvement and value-creation project pipelines.
- Lead supplier and raw material qualification initiatives to improve speed, resilience, and efficiency.
- Drive contract implementation, compliance, process efficiency, and executive reporting on strategy, savings, and KPIs.
- Improve cross-functional processes that accelerate new material approvals, trials, and supplier onboarding.
Tactical Procurement Support Provide hands-on support for supply assurance, savings tracking, contract performance, and other key procurement metrics. Responsibilities include:
- Maintain project documentation, tools, and templates in shared knowledge repositories.
- Track payment terms, savings, contract compliance, and other key performance metrics.
- Help mitigate supply continuity risks and resolve tactical supply issues as needed.
REQUIREMENTS:- Bachelor's degree in supply chain, Finance, Operations, Business Management, Engineering, or a related field.
- 5+ years of procurement experience and at least 3 years of project management experience.
- Preferred: MBA and/or CPM certification.
- Strong understanding of direct category management; food ingredients or chemicals industry experience preferred.
- Excellent communication, leadership, negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to influence in a highly matrixed environment and clearly communicate Procurement strategy.
- Proven track record in partnering with senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze data, model business scenarios, and identify measurable value opportunities.
- Working knowledge of contracts, sourcing processes, and continuous improvement principles.
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; advanced Excel skills preferred.
- Ability to travel 10-30% as needed.
