Category Manager

Everything we do at Sunrun is driven by a determination to transform the way we power our lives. We know that starts at the individual employee level. We strive to foster an environment you can thrive in through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging.

The Sr. Category Manager designs, executes, and trains department members on effective procurement strategies, from market and spend analysis to the identification of procurement needs for goods and services. This role is responsible for negotiating, coordinating, and ensuring that assigned spend categories and services are procured at the lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The position involves assessing near-term and long-term plans to ensure supplier priorities align with business needs, consulting with senior management and subject matter experts to develop alternative solutions, and advising on options, risks, total cost of ownership, and business impacts.

• Strategic Leadership and Training:
  
  
  • Develop, coach, and execute strategic sourcing strategies, best practices, and initiatives that deliver improvements in supplier quality, total cost effectiveness, enhanced service levels, and reduced lead times.
  • Create best practices for all sourcing categories, including developing and executing RFIs and RFPs, and train team members in these processes.
• Category and Supplier Management:
  
  
  • Build and maintain performance-based supplier relationships to achieve optimal pricing, quality improvements, process enhancements, and solutions delivery.
  • Research and analyze industry trends and best practices to inform sourcing strategies.
  • Design frameworks for supplier performance monitoring, ensuring compliance with delivery dates and contractual requirements.
  • Lead strategic meetings with suppliers and business leaders to drive execution of sourcing strategies.
• Negotiation and Contract Management:
  
  
  • Develop negotiation strategies, secure alignment from stakeholders, and lead cross-functional negotiation teams.
  • Directly negotiate with key suppliers, creating strategic plans aligned with operational needs and goals.
  • Negotiate and develop contract terms and conditions, including SLAs and pricing, to minimize risk and maximize value.
• Spend Analysis and Cost Reduction:
  
  
  • Conduct deep dives into current spend data to identify sourcing projects and develop cost reduction plans.
  • Manage spend portfolios through coordinated sourcing waves and project sourcing activities, addressing evolving business needs.
  • Develop total cost of ownership models, manage cost drivers, and drive continuous improvement in supplier and commodity performance.
• Supplier Performance Management:
  
  
  • Build, train, and coach supplier performance management and continuous improvement processes.
  • Conduct regular supplier meetings, implement improvement strategies, and foster strong supplier relationships.
  • Act as the internal point of contact for supplier management and complaint resolution, designing systems, processes, and service levels.
• Collaboration and Stakeholder Management:
  
  
  • Provide procurement input to maximize leverage, optimize project design, and minimize project duration and cost.
  • Actively seek ways to streamline and design business processes, collaborating with internal and external resources.
  • Champion weekly category review meetings with category leads to manage category performance and align on strategic goals.
• Project and Change Management:
  
  
  • Manage cross-functional sourcing teams to develop and implement category strategies, ensuring cost savings and value realization.
  • Demonstrate ability to work in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment while managing multiple stakeholders, responsibilities, and first-of-their-kind programs.

• Education:
  
  
  • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Industrial or Operations Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field required; Master's degree preferred.
• Experience:
  
  
  • Minimum of 10+ years of procurement experience required, with at least 3 years in data analytics of spend preferred.
  • Proven experience in supplier negotiation, sourcing strategy development, and project management.
• Skills:
  
  
  • Highly effective oral and written communication skills with the ability to present solutions and insights concisely.
  • Advanced skills in data analytics, PowerPoint, Google Sheets, and the Office Suite.
  • Demonstrated ability to perform deep dive analytics and synthesize results for diverse audiences.
  • Strong collaboration, leadership, and stakeholder management abilities.
  • Willing to travel up to 10% for business purposes.