Senior Category Manager

I'm currently recruiting for a Category Manager – Professional Services (Americas) role with a global organization. The position focuses on developing category strategies and leading sourcing initiatives across consulting, contingent workforce, legal, HR, finance, marketing, and other professional services categories.

Position: Sr Category Manager

Location: Lake Zurich, IL

Full Time

Pay range: $160-170/hr

The Senior Category Manager – Logistics is accountable for developing and executing complex logistics category strategies across transportation, distribution, and 4PL services within the United States and broader Americas region.

This role serves as the senior regional subject matter expert for logistics procurement, translating global category strategies into regionally compliant, cost-effective, and resilient sourcing solutions that support regulated pharmaceutical supply chain.

Operating with a high degree of independence in a global matrixed environment, the role leads complex sourcing initiatives, manages strategic supplier relationships, and influences senior stakeholders across Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Finance, and Legal to balance cost, service, risk, and sustainability outcomes.

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY THE INCUMBENT

Category Strategy & Governance

1. Develop, own and execute multi-year logistics category strategies for 4PL, transport, and distribution across the Americas, fully aligned with global procurement objectives and business priorities.

2. Translate global category direction into regionally executable strategies, reflecting U.S. regulatory requirements (FDA, DOT), market conditions, and operational realities.

3. Lead category planning, demand forecasting, and initiative prioritisation to support growth, product launches, and network changes.

4. Ensure category strategies address service resilience, total cost of ownership, compliance, and sustainability.

Strategic Sourcing & Execution

5. Convert category strategies into structured annual sourcing roadmaps with clear value, risk, performance outcomes and sustainable pipeline management.

6. Lead complex sourcing events including RFPs, negotiations, supplier selection, and contract awards for high-value logistics services.

7. Negotiate robust commercial and service agreements covering rates, SLAs, climate/temperature control requirements, business continuity, and innovative commitments to deliver measurable value (productivity, quality, speed, innovation).

8. Leverage and apply market intelligence, freight and energy indices, benchmarking, and analytics to drive fact-based sourcing decisions and stakeholder recommendations.

9. Ensure full compliance with procurement governance, financial controls, and risk management standards.

Supplier & Contract Management

10. Build and deploy strategic partnerships with leading global and regional logistics providers via a globally defined ecosystem consistent across the Americas.

11. Surface regional market insights and partnerships to inform global supplier strategy and portfolio decisions.

12. Implement structured supplier performance management, including KPIs, scorecards, QBRs, and continuous improvement plans for supplier consolidation, innovation partnerships, and risk mitigation.

13. Feed regional insights on capacity, performance, and emerging providers into global supplier strategy decisions.

Stakeholder Management

14. Act as a trusted commercial and strategic partner to Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Finance, Legal, and regional business leaders.

15. Ensure logistics sourcing decisions fully support GDP, cold chain, and product integrity requirements.

16. Influence senior stakeholders by providing data-driven insights, market intelligence, and clear articulation of trade-offs and recommendations.

17. Support logistics-related transformations, network redesigns, and digital initiatives from a procurement perspective

Value Creation & Continuous Improvement

18. Deliver measurable and sustainable outcomes in cost efficiency, service excellence, risk reduction, and environmental impact.

19. Drive initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of transport and distribution, including modal shifts, supplier sustainability programs, and packaging optimization.

20. Improve cost transparency across sub-categories through standardized rate cards, engagement models, and spend analytics.

21. Contribute to the evolution of procurement processes, tools, policies, and governance frameworks.

22. Promote cross-regional collaboration and best-practice sharing across Global Indirect Procurement. All employees are responsible for ensuring compliance to company documents, programs and activities related to the Health, Safety, Environment, Energy, and Quality Management Systems, as per your roles and responsibilities.

REQUIREMENTS

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Business, Engineering, or a related discipline.

• MBA or professional certifications (e.g., CPSM, CSCP, CIPS, Lean Six Sigma) strongly preferred Experience:

• 10 years of procurement or category management experience, with 5 years specialising in logistics (4PL, transport, distribution).

• Background in a regulated industry such as pharmaceuticals, biotech, or medical devices strongly preferred.

• Proven experience managing high-value logistics contracts within complex, multinational environments.

• Demonstrated ability to deliver cost savings, service improvements, and supplier-led innovation through strategic sourcing.

Skills & Competencies:

• Deep expertise in US logistics regulations, cold chain requirements, and Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards

• Strong commercial judgment and advanced negotiation capability

• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influence at senior leadership levels

• Highly analytical with well-developed market intelligence and data analysis skills

• Comfortable operating in matrixed, global organisations

• Hands-on, results-oriented leadership style with a continuous improvement mindset Technical Proficiency:

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Copilot a plus

• Experience with digital procurement platforms (e.g., SAP Ariba or equivalent) and Ai technologies

• Working knowledge of ERP systems for sourcing, contracting, and supplier management

• Familiarity with analytics, dashboards, Power BI and data visualisation tools a plus Additional Requirements:

• Commitment to corporate values and adherence to company standards and management systems related to Health, Safety, Environment, Energy, and Quality (HSEEQ).

• Willingness to work in a global, multicultural environment and travel as required.

• Ability to operate effectively during periods of change and transformation.

Dexian is a leading provider of staffing, IT, and workforce solutions with over 12,000 employees and 70 locations worldwide. As one of the largest IT staffing companies and the 2nd largest minority-owned staffing company in the U.S., Dexian was formed in 2023 through the merger of DISYS and Signature Consultants. Combining the best elements of its core companies, Dexian's platform connects talent, technology, and organizations to produce game-changing results that help everyone achieve their ambitions and goals. Dexian's brands include Dexian DISYS, Dexian Signature Consultants, Dexian Government Solutions, Dexian Talent Development and Dexian IT Solutions. Visit https://dexian.com/ to learn more. Dexian is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.