What are the responsibilities and job description for the Category Manager position at Skills Alliance?
Summary:
We’re partnering with a growing U.S.-based pharmaceutical company preparing for a major expansion—including the build-out of a brand-new manufacturing facility in the U.S. and the establishment of operations across Germany.
With this growth underway, the company is hiring a Category Manager focused on Direct Purchasing to join their Durham team. This is a hands-on, strategic role responsible for sourcing, vendor management, and cost optimization across key direct categories—particularly raw materials, APIs, and packaging used in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
This role is onsite in Durham and offers the chance to help build scalable procurement processes at a company that’s investing heavily in long-term infrastructure and international reach.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead all direct procurement activities for key categories including raw materials, APIs, excipients, packaging, and components
- Manage supplier relationships, develop sourcing strategies, and negotiate contracts with both domestic and international vendors
- Support procurement efforts related to the design, construction, and start-up of the new U.S. facility, including sourcing critical equipment and materials
- Partner closely with internal stakeholders in manufacturing, quality, engineering, regulatory, and finance
- Monitor supplier performance, cost trends, lead times, and risk indicators
- Collaborate with global teams to ensure alignment with procurement strategies in Europe (particularly Germany)
- Analyze spend data and provide input into budgeting, forecasting, and cost-savings initiatives
- Ensure procurement compliance with GMP and company quality/regulatory standards
Who We’re Looking For
- 5–8 years of experience in direct procurement or strategic sourcing, ideally within pharma or biotech
- Experience managing categories such as APIs, raw materials, or packaging components
- Strong commercial negotiation skills and supplier performance management experience
- Knowledge of GMP and regulated manufacturing environments
- Hands-on, collaborative, and comfortable working in a dynamic, growing organization
- ERP experience (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite) and solid Excel/data analysis skills
- Bachelor's degree in supply chain, business, engineering, or related discipline
