Position Summary:

The Sr. Director Category Management is a member of the Category Management function and primarily responsible for Tier 2 & 3 restaurant equipment spend. The ideal candidate will be responsible for leading the equipment team and supporting the VP of Category Management in cultivating a high performing organization and growing the restaurant equipment business. The Sr. Director Category Management will need to be results-driven, forward-thinking, and an experienced leader who drives sourcing strategy, innovation, and optimization. This position will need to establish relationships with customers and strategic suppliers, and build an exceptional team, ensuring Category Management business alignment to company goals: Extend Our Reach, Innovate for Resiliency and People First.

Position Responsibilities may include, but not limited to:

• Serve as key member of the Category Management leadership team and provide subject matter expertise in the restaurant equipment category to the team and customers
• Partners cross functionally and works closely with the global supplier network to proactively identify and deliver value through both product/ process optimization and new product development
• Support financial performance of the restaurant equipment category, including budgeting, forecasting, and P&L, to ensure sustainable growth and profitability
• Manage a high performing team, providing leadership, coaching, and developmental support to directors and managers on various equipment subcategories strategies
• Cultivate a strong team culture consistent with core values and drive sourcing and operational excellence throughout the equipment category
• Work closely with senior leadership to develop a global sourcing and product innovation roadmap that will bring noticeable positive results to the restaurant equipment category
• Establish processes and KPIs for cost management, growth and innovation, risk management, supplier performance, and equipment team deliverables
• Work closely with customers to drive continuous improvement in cost, quality and design, and establish best practices
• Continue to scale the supplier network and manage capacity to meet the customer demands and category growth
• Drive new equipment deployment across markets by collaborating with internal and external stakeholders by aligning on timeline and market requirements
• Other projects or duties as assigned

Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree with 10+ years of related experience and 6+ years of management experience or High School Diploma with 13+ years of specific experience and 7+ years of management experience in restaurant equipment sourcing at Food Service, Restaurant or Equipment Manufacturing & Distribution industries
• Managed large restaurant equipment category spend, $500 million or above
• Equipment manufacturing or design experience is preferred
• Profound understanding of market trends and consumers in the restaurant equipment area
• Leader with an appetite for building scalable teams and enabling innovative products
• An expert negotiator who has handled multi-million-dollar contract negotiations
• A creative problem solver with a process improvement mindset
• Data-driven decision maker who is passionate about bringing that mentality to their team
• A strong leader with a proven track record of managing large and diverse teams
• Detail-oriented – You possess strong organizational skills and consistently demonstrate a methodical approach to all your work
• A self-starter – You are highly motivated and passionate; you’re eager to take on new projects without knowing exactly what you will uncover
• Agile – You thrive in fast-paced and dynamic environments and are willing to get deep into the weeds where needed
• A strong communicator who can easily communicate complex solutions and cross functionally to upper management
• Flexibility to travel (up to 25%)
• Intermediate Microsoft Office skills
• This position must pass a post-offer background and drug test

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Master’s Degree
• Experience in Supply Chain areas in Food Services, Consumer Packaged Goods or Manufacturing
• Experience with JD Edwards 9.2 ERP, Microsoft PowerBi, OneStream
• A degree in engineering or a related field