Category Manager jobs in Santa Cruz, CA

Department:  Business Operations 

Location:  Scotts Valley, CA OR Remote/Hybrid

The procurement manager (category management) will be a part of the Enterprise Business Applications organization and will help to spread the importance of strategic procurement, provide visibility on savings potential, foster good relations with internal stakeholders, and build trust. The procurement Category Manager is a trailblazer at UA with an opportunity to influence the direction of building a completely new organization within the larger CFO organization. The role would start managing SaaS Software procurement (Software/SaaS, Cloud Infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure) IT desktop and security software, and Technology consulting) and will eventually move to management of adjacent categories. This role will showcase best-in-class negotiation capabilities with results that yield year-on-year savings, scalable plus compliant source-to-pay process, and satisfied stakeholders in Legal, IT, and Finance organizations. UA’s passion for quality, innovation, and customer-centric focus are the values this role will imbibe in all areas while working towards the category management goals.

Responsibilities:

Category Management & Delivery

• Personally develops, leads, and manages categories.
• Develop an end-to-end category strategy, mapping out the current landscape and defining an improvement plan for the near, mid, and long-term to stimulate interest from and engagement with stakeholders.
• Activities such as market research, demand management, specification development, spend analytics, category strategy development, business case development, negotiation, lead RFPs, E-Procurement, Supplier management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Deliver procurement activities, including enabling the Business to self-serve post-contract management, KPI & SLA development and tracking, Stakeholder engagement, Communications, Risk and Supplier Relationship Management (SRM).
• Utilize established tools/systems & adherence to policies.
• Feed success stories into overall Procurement communications.

Client/Internal Stakeholder Relations

• Demonstrating value delivery to all stakeholders to reinforce stakeholder buy-in.
• Be able to engage leaders to gain insights and perspective.
• Understand business area needs, strategies, and priorities and service accordingly.
• Ability to explain Indirect Procurement practices, benefits to the organization, and the value of Supplier Relationship Management participation in post-contract management.
• Demonstrate Universal Audio values in all relationships (including Suppliers).
• The Procurement Team is responsible for business-wide engagement. This role is responsible for the credibility and reputation of Procurement as a value-adding team. 
• Ability to address urgent needs of the business effectively and efficiently.
• Champion and enact business sourcing to leverage Universal Audio’s buying power.
• Be knowledgeable in best procurement practices for the categories.
• Develop and execute sourcing strategies with the business, expertly advising and guiding the process to the best-fit approach, tactics, and tools (e.g., outcome-based specifications, RFP/RFI/RFQ builds, KPI/SLA development).

Processes, Metrics & Execution

• Educate, champion, and drive business stakeholders through the Procurement system.
• Track progress against objectives; refine and develop audience- updates.
• Use market research to ensure that Universal Audio stays abreast of the latest market cost/value/innovation developments per Category.
• Work in collaboration with Finance, Legal, IT, Security, Privacy, and other functions to ensure compliance with policies and audit remediation.
• Responsible for the professional negotiation and contract management process, including facilitating extended team members’ involvement (e.g., Legal, Finance, IT, and Security).
• Responsible to the stakeholders for the timely procurement of contract services required for company operations.
• Create, prioritize, and plan a pipeline of opportunities to deliver the saving objectives and reduce overall risk.

Supplier Relations

• Develop and maintain an annual supplier management plan, including forecasted spend, savings expectations, and performance objectives.
• Enable Universal Audio to get the best out of its Suppliers by working in partnership with them for mutual good business.
• Help the Business conduct post-contract management and facilitate Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) with key (top 20%) Suppliers.
• Ensure Procurement, the Business, and Suppliers conduct business ethically, and within the Company’s policies and guidelines. Alert the leadership to any improper practice.

Qualifications:

• Expertise in developing, leading, driving, and managing supplier and contract negotiations including achievement of TCO value. Extensive knowledge of category management practices and principles.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver value-added results to the organization by driving financial analysis principles and procurement discipline.
• High level of client focus and an ability to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to think strategically, communicate expectations, and drive to achieve results.

Education/Experience:

• BA or BS degree and Procurement Certifications or equivalent work experience preferred.
• 6 years of experience in Global Strategic Sourcing Procurement organizations.

UA Salary Range/Hourly Rate of Pay:  California Salary Range = $119,000 - $165,000

Base salary/hourly rate of pay will be based on the cost of labor for the city/state in which the new hire resides, at the time of hire.

UA offers competitive benefits:  Profit sharing, Medical/Dental/Vision, 401K Safe Harbor Contribution, Stock Options, Flexible time-off (PTO/Sick Leave/Company Holiday Time-off), etc.

UA Mission:  We exist to thrill and inspire music makers everywhere with timeless sound and impeccable craftsmanship, freeing the songs inside and allowing you to sound like the records you love. 

UA Vision:  In the future, music makers around the world will trust Universal Audio as a friend and creative partner, inspiring them to craft amazing records as naturally as playing their first instrument or singing their favorite song. The best home, project, and professional studios will feature most of the UA equipment from floor to ceiling — ranging from audio interfaces and guitar gear to microphones and software — all of it working together to deliver unrivaled sonics and operational symphony. Our customers will eagerly await each new UA product like a hit record or blockbuster movie, trusting that it may spark them to create the best music of their lives. In doing so, UA will become revered worldwide as the way that music is made.

Universal Audio is an equal employment opportunity employer. Our policy is not to discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. UA also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories.