Category Manager

Overview

Ball, a world leader in manufacturing sustainable aluminium packaging, invites you to contribute to a better community and world through innovative products and responsible practices.

Position overview

The primary responsibility of the Regional Category Manager is to manage and assure supply, lead the category management lifecycle for regional categories, and support global-led strategies for global categories. For regional categories, this role will develop supplier relationship management and business continuity plans, define the category strategy and annual goals, own the supplier relationship process, and execute strategy implementation. For global categories, this role will collaborate with global counterparts and regional stakeholders to ensure global category strategies are executed for the company's benefit.

Key responsibilities include:

• Manage the supply of aluminium.
• Focus on supply assurance - ensuring we have the goods and services required to run the business, including supply/demand forecasting and contract execution.
• Input to and execution/implementation of Global strategy, RFP requirements and BCP.
• Regional supplier QBR (operational reviews/SRM).
• Regional quality issues/claims, compliance and audits.
• Responsible for Annual Operating Plan (AOP) & Financial Forecast (FF) in the region, representing all key ODMs through the quarterly cycle.
• Develop a comprehensive view of supply and demand, monitor market conditions, and make informed decisions.
• Lead the full category management lifecycle for regional categories: gather, analyze, and report market intelligence; develop long-term category strategy and go-to-market plans.
• Use multiple sources of market data to make data-informed decisions.
• Develop and evaluate go-to-market strategies for regional categories; drive creative commercial outcomes through negotiation planning and cross-functional collaboration.
• Engage with Global Category teams to support positive outcomes for global categories.
• Lead the performance management process for regional suppliers, including regular business reviews.
• Proactively report progress against regional sourcing goals for the designated period.

What we're looking for

• Bachelor's degree; master's degree or advanced certification (e.g., MBA, CPM, CPSM, CPSC, PMP) preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in Sourcing, Category Management, Supply Chain Management, Finance, Management Consulting, or related operations in a global environment.
• At least 2 years of experience with the specific category(ies).
• Deep understanding of category management, strategic sourcing, and supplier relationship management principles and application.
• Strategic orientation, curiosity, comfort with ambiguity, and self-motivation to identify trends and improvement opportunities aligned with business objectives and strategic plans.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Ball Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We actively encourage applications from everybody, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, faith, ability, or orientation.

When you join Ball, you belong to a team of over 16,000 members worldwide. Our products range from infinitely recyclable aluminium cans and cups to aerosol bottles. We are committed to diversity and inclusion as the foundation of our culture of belonging.