Category Manager

Role Description

The Category Manager – Capital Equipment is responsible for leading and managing the sourcing, contracting, and execution of capital equipment and major project spend across Ardagh Glass Packaging – North America. This role partners closely with Engineering, Operations, Plants, Legal, EHS, and Finance to ensure capital projects are competitively sourced, contractually sound, and compliant, and executed to deliver maximum value, cost discipline, and risk mitigation.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the end‑to‑end Capital Equipment procurement process across Ardagh Glass Packaging – North America, including major and minor capital projects, turnkey installations, and skilled labor contracts
• Provide procurement leadership and direction to Corporate Engineering, Plant Engineering, and Operations teams on competitive bidding strategies, supplier selection, and commercial negotiations
• Lead negotiation of major capital projects including, but not limited to:
• Furnace rebuilds and refractory scope
• Cold End projects and IS machine installations
• Abatement and emissions control systems
• New production lines and major plant installations
• Emissions monitoring equipment and service agreements
• Ensure all capital contracts include clearly defined scope, pricing, performance guarantees, service obligations, risk allocation, and commercial protections aligned with Ardagh standards
• Coordinate with Legal to negotiate capital equipment supply and service contracts, including terms and conditions, warranties, liabilities, insurance, and indemnification
• Ensure contractor insurance, EHS requirements, and site compliance standards are clearly defined and met prior to work commencing at any Ardagh location
• Partner with Group Category Managers on projects involving global or group‑leveraged suppliers to ensure alignment with broader sourcing strategies
• Provide regular reporting, cost visibility, and project status updates to Procurement and Engineering leadership related to capital spend, savings, risks, and supplier performance
• Drive continuous improvement in capital procurement processes, templates, supplier performance management, and governance
  
  

Minimum Skills / Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• Three (3) years of capital procurement, engineering, or project sourcing experience
• Strong mechanical and technical aptitude with the ability to understand complex equipment, installations, and project scope
• Solid understanding of capital contracting, commercial terms and conditions, and Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) requirements
• Strong negotiation, analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to operate effectively in a cross‑functional, multi‑site manufacturing environment
  
  

Preferred Skills / Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related, engineering field
• Three (3) years total experience in Procurement, Engineering, or Supply Chain roles
• Prior plant leadership or plant management experience
• SAP experience
  
  

Benefits Offered

• Medical, prescription, dental and vision plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Life insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match and an employer retirement contribution
• Paid holidays, floating days and vacation
• Short- and Long-Term Disability (STD/LTD)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Professional and personal development opportunities through Employee Resource Groups
• Benefits available from day 1 of employment
• Flexible and hybrid working hours
  
  

Please note the compensation and benefits information above is accurate as of the date of this posting. Ardagh reserves the right to modify this information at any time in accordance with applicable law.

About Ardagh Group

Ardagh Glass Packaging is a global leader in glass packaging solutions, producing packaging for the world’s leading brands. We trace our roots all the way back to the Irish Glass Bottle Company, founded in 1932. Since then, we have grown rapidly to a team of more than 20,000 people with revenues of over $9 billion.

Today, we have a presence across Europe, Africa, and North America.

• Did you know that Ardagh produces many of the cans and bottles you drink your favorite beverages from?
• Did you know we produce metal and glass packaging which are permanent materials, meaning they can be infinitely recycled without any loss of quality?
• Did you know we produce more than 160 million containers per day?
  
  

Ardagh is passionate about sustainability and has a reputation for innovation. We push the boundaries of what’s possible, pioneering new production methods, new design techniques and new ways to recycle and save energy. Our aim is to reduce any negative environmental impact while remaining economically sustainable and socially responsible. We believe that the success of our business depends on the success of our people. We strive to create working environments where our employees feel valued, can work to their full potential, and where their achievements are celebrated. Here at Ardagh, we offer exciting and rewarding opportunities for talented and creative people. If you have ambition and want to make an impact with your career, come and join our team, you’ll enjoy the journey!

Ardagh Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, and local law.

Ardagh Group complies with federal, state, and local disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. Contact Clare McHugh (clare.mchugh@ardaghgroup.com) if a reasonable accommodation is needed.