Senior Global Category Manager

Overview:

At Zebra, we are a community of innovators who come together to create new ways of working. United by curiosity and a culture of caring, we develop smart solutions that anticipate our customer’s and partner’s needs and solve their challenges.

Being part of Zebra Nation means you are seen, heard, valued, and respected. Drawing from our unique perspectives, we collaborate to deliver on our purpose. Here you are part of a team pushing boundaries today to redefine the work of tomorrow for organizations, their employees, and those they serve.

You’ll have opportunities to learn and lead in a forward-thinking environment, defining your path to a fulfilling career while channeling your skills toward causes you care about—locally and globally.

Come make an impact every day at Zebra.

What We're Looking For:

At Zebra, our Senior Global Category Manager is more than a role- it's a pivotal and influential role at the heart of our supply chain. You won't just manage projects; you will own executive-level supplier relationships, shape our strategic sourcing initiatives, and serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership. We are a team that values innovation and succeeds as one. If you are a strategic professional who thrives on solving complex challenges and making a tangible impact, we want to hear from you.

The Zebra Supply Chain Experience:
As a member of our global supply chain organization, you will experience an environment where our values for innovation, operational excellence, and a commitment to making a positive impact come to life. Our customer first approach and agility enable us to leverage the creativity of the team to adapt swiftly to challenges and create exceptional value for those we serve. Collaboration and teamwork are at the heart of our operations. We drive an operating model and value set where accountability to one another is genuine and executed with consistency, knowing that we succeed as one. Together, we inspire one another, embrace continuous improvement, and make a meaningful impact!

Must be able to work on a hybrid schedule (3 days in office/2 remote) in a local office. Work location can be at one of these sites: Guangzhou or Shanghai, China.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage Supplier Relationships and collaborate closely with stakeholders to foster innovation.
• Engage with management team and stakeholder team members to drive strategic initiatives effectively balancing the RFx process and the TCO evaluation of suppliers against the business stakeholder’s requirements and supplier preferences. Recognized as a company expert within his/her field. Inspire trust and confidence with executive leadership.
• Ability to simultaneously manage highly complex projects, leading driving all deliverables, analytics, negotiations and project management details (as needed). These projects will span from a regional to global scope and will support the company’s key strategic priorities. Additionally, these projects will typically impact multiple functions and involve medium to large sized project teams representing multiple business areas.
• Manage full sourcing process for one of the strategic Outsourcing suppliers inclusive of supply market analysis, leverage spend, establishing business requirements, driving requirements, reviewing cost models, negotiating cost reductions, negotiating SOWs, contract terms, executing and monitoring complex contracts, conducting and monitoring supplier business reviews.
• Independently collaborate with key stakeholders to develop annual category management plan that incorporates the stakeholder’s strategy, goals, challenges, constraints and objectives with a 1 to 3- year time horizon – key outputs included but not limited to spend breakdown, strategic sourcing pipeline, process improvements, supplier rationalizations, targeted supplier business reviews, sourcing levers, etc.
• Ability to maintain accountability, delivering against timelines, building relationships and becoming a trusted advisor with business stakeholders, executive management and suppliers.
• Perform significant total cost of ownership evaluations, perform supply-market research, conduct the most complex pricing audits and impact analysis for the pursuit of continuous cost improvements.
• Negotiation Strategy & Execution - Leads drives and executes the most strategic and high-stakes negotiations quarterly or annually.
• Risk Management & Mitigation - develops and implements advanced risk management strategies.
• Resolve significant and unique strategic supplier performance issues collaboratively, acting as a point of escalation for all cross-functional needs on supplier negotiation and performance management.
• Presentation skills for clear, influential narratives for senior leadership to drive major sourcing decisions and investments.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with a preference for Business Administration, Supply Chain, Engineering, Accounting/Finance, or equivalent.
• 12+ years as a procurement professional
• Proficiency in spreadsheet software (e.g. Microsoft Excel), presentation software (i.e. Microsoft PowerPoint), Oracle (or similar programs).
• Must be able to work on a hybrid schedule (3 days in office/2 remote) in a local office. Work location can be at one of these sites: Guangzhou or Shanghai, China.
• Flexibility to attend and/or host evening conference calls.
• Travel Requirements 10-25% domestically and internationally.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA
• Familiar with various outsourcing operation models (Contract Manufacturing, JDM, ODM or OEM), with the ability to link production processes to transformation costs. Proven capability in understanding complex cost models, performing detailed cost analysis and negotiating for cost savings.
• Strong familiarity with the IT hardware industry.
• Deep understanding of cost models and Supplier Strategy development.
• Experience in managing outsourced manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of operations, negotiations, and supplier performance reviews to drive improvement.
• Expertise in contract negotiations, particularly handling high-value deals and identifying key priorities.
• Ability to evaluate, modify, and ensure contract compliance. Execute contract compliance effectively.

Key Skills and Competencies

• Strategic Sourcing
• Stakeholder Management
• Project Management
• Spend Analytics
• Supplier Management
• Contract Compliance
• Strategic Collaboration Management
• Executive Presentation
• Strategic Influence
• Negotiation
• Execution

Benefits:

We understand the importance of work-life balance and wellbeing, which is why we offer flexibility for our teams including: hybrid work, adaptable hours, Summer Flex Fridays, Focus Fridays, and an annual companywide well-being day to promote revitalization and success.

Job Posting Statement:

To protect candidates from falling victim to online fraudulent activity involving fake job postings and employment offers, please be aware our recruiters will always connect with you via @zebra.com email accounts. Applications are only accepted through our applicant tracking system and only accept personal identifying information through that system. Our Talent Acquisition team will not ask for you to provide personal identifying information via e-mail or outside of the system. If you are a victim of identity theft contact your local police department.

AI Technology Statement:

Zebra Technologies leverages AI technology to evaluate job applications using objective, job-relevant criteria. This approach enhances efficiency and promotes fairness in the hiring process. However, every decision regarding interviews and hiring is made by our dedicated team, because we believe people make the best decisions about people. For more on how we use technology in hiring and how we process applicant data, see our Zebra Privacy Policy.