Direct Category Manager - Power Systems

Graco manufactures and markets premium equipment to move, measure, control, dispense and spray a wide variety of fluid and powder materials. What does that mean? Well, we pump peanut butter into your jar, and the oil in your car. We glue the soles of your shoes, the glass in your windows and the screen on your phone. We spray the finish on your vehicle, coatings on your pills, the paint on your house and texture on your walls. Graco is part of your daily life.

As a Category Manager at Graco, you will drive procurement initiatives across your assigned commodities. In this strategic role, you will champion cost optimization, foster innovation, and support operational excellence in key categories. You’ll leverage your expertise in category management, sourcing, and contract negotiation, working collaboratively across various teams to influence stakeholders at all levels. Utilizing market intelligence and data-driven insights, you will enhance supplier performance, mitigate risks, and contribute significant value to the business. The Power Systems category includes electric motors, motor components, gas engines, transformers, and pumps.

What You Will Do At Graco

Category Strategy & Planning

• Act as a trusted procurement advisor to teams across Operations, Engineering, and other departments, building strong partnerships and supporting business goals.
• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies for your assigned commodities..
• Leverage market intelligence, spend analysis, and supplier benchmarking to identify cost-saving opportunities, streamline vendor relationships, encourage innovation, and minimize risk.
• Understand, track, and forecast key cost drivers and global market factors for assigned commodities, including copper, electrical steel, rare-earth magnets (NdFeB), and cast housings.
  
  

Sourcing & Procurement Execution

• Manage full-cycle sourcing processes such as RFIs and RFPs, which encompass defining business needs, setting evaluation standards, recommending contract awards, and guiding suppliers through onboarding.
• Lead commercial negotiations encompassing pricing, service level agreements (SLAs), data privacy, intellectual property rights, and liability clauses.
• Identify and implement opportunities for strategic supplier rationalization, demand management, and cost avoidance.
  
  

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as the primary procurement consultant for designated groups.
• Facilitate productive cross-functional collaboration and provide strategic guidance to promote alignment in sourcing strategies, supplier selection procedures, and contract negotiations.
  
  

Supplier & Contract Management

• Oversee and nurture supplier partnerships, ensuring compliance with service level agreements (SLAs), key performance indicators (KPIs), and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate supplier manufacturing capabilities across key processes such as coil winding, lamination stamping, commutator/brush design, casting, machining, and motor assembly.
• Facilitate contract renewals and renegotiations to maximize cost-efficiency while mitigating commercial and legal risk.
• Monitor and report essential procurement metrics, including cost optimization (savings and avoidance), contract coverage, supplier performance, and adherence to project timelines.
  
  

Continuous Improvement

• Maintain awareness of emerging technology trends, industry standards, and innovations relevant to procurement and assigned categories.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  
  

What You Will Bring To Graco

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Supply Chain, MIS, or a related field required; MBA preferred.
• A minimum of eight years' experience in strategic sourcing or category management, preferably within direct commodities.
• Demonstrated success in negotiating complex contracts, managing vendor performance, and delivering measurable cost optimization.
• Adaptability to changing business conditions.
• Great project management and influence skills
  
  

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This role is not eligible for immigration sponsorship now or in the future (e.g., H-1B, TN, F-1 OPT).

At Graco, you truly make a difference. Your unique talents contribute to our organizational growth and future. Not only do you make a difference, but Graco’s culture empowers employees to create their own career path. Whether you choose to advance within your current department or explore new opportunities in different divisions, you have the ability to build your future. Our managers are here to provide support and guidance as you continue to grow within your career.

Graco has excellent opportunities available to individuals who want to be part of a fast-moving, growing company that is committed to quality, innovation and solving fluid handling problems for our customers. Graco is proud to be named a Best Place to Work by Fortune Magazine in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022. Graco offers attractive compensation, benefits and career development opportunities. Graco’s comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, stock purchase plan, 401(k), tuition reimbursement and more.

Our company uses E-Verify to confirm the employment and eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

The base pay range for this position is listed below, exclusive of fringe benefits or other compensation. If you are hired, your final base hourly rate will be determined based on factors such as geographic location, skills, competencies, education, and/or experience. In addition to those factors, we will also consider internal equity of our current employees. Please keep in mind that the range provided is the full base salary range for the role. Hiring at or near the maximum of the range would not be typical to allow for future and continued salary growth.

$87,000.00 - $152,200.00