Koch Business Solutions - Category Lead - Procurement & Supply Chain

Your Job:

As a Category Lead at Koch, you will be responsible for developing and executing category management and strategic sourcing strategies across indirect spend categories to create long-term value for the organization. In this role, you will leverage market intelligence, supplier relationships, financial analysis, and procurement expertise to optimize costs, mitigate risks, improve supplier performance, and support business growth objectives. You will collaborate closely with business stakeholders, suppliers, and cross-functional teams to drive innovative sourcing solutions and continuous improvement across the procurement ecosystem.

Our Team:

The Procurement & Supply Chain team partners with Koch businesses to deliver strategic sourcing solutions that create value, improve operational efficiency, and support long-term business objectives. We work collaboratively with stakeholders, suppliers, and industry partners to develop innovative procurement strategies, strengthen supplier relationships, and enable sustainable business growth through principled decision-making and continuous improvement.

What You Will Do:

Category Strategy & Management:

• Develop and execute multi-year category strategies across indirect spend categories such as IT, Professional Services, Facilities, Marketing, HR Services, and other enterprise support functions.

• Apply category management expertise, including Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), should-cost modeling, value chain analysis, and financial assessments to identify and prioritize value creation opportunities.

• Conduct spend analysis, benchmarking, and market assessments to uncover sourcing opportunities, process improvements, and cost optimization initiatives.

• Monitor category performance, supplier spend, and savings targets while ensuring alignment with overall sourcing strategies.

• Adapt category strategies based on changing market conditions, business priorities, and supplier capabilities.

Strategic Sourcing & Negotiation:

• Lead end-to-end sourcing initiatives, including supplier identification, competitive tendering, evaluation, and selection processes.

• Develop sourcing strategies that balance business objectives, risk tolerance, and long-term value creation.

• Lead complex negotiations to secure optimal pricing, commercial terms, service levels, and contractual outcomes.

• Establish and manage price-setting mechanisms, benchmark analyses, and cost models aligned with category strategies.

• Drive continuous savings opportunities while maintaining quality, service, and supplier performance expectations.

Supplier Relationship Management:

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers and business partners.

• Develop supplier performance management frameworks to drive accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

• Manage supplier onboarding processes, including due diligence, qualification, risk assessments, and governance requirements.

• Identify, assess, and mitigate supplier-related risks to ensure supply continuity and business resilience.

• Lead supplier development initiatives that support long-term value creation and strategic partnerships.

Contract Management & Governance:

• Lead contract development, negotiation, execution, and lifecycle management activities.

• Ensure agreements align with business needs while protecting organizational interests and mitigating risk.

• Oversee contractual compliance, including management of NDAs, DPAs, MSAs, and other commercial agreements.

• Ensure adherence to procurement policies, governance frameworks, ethical standards, and regulatory requirements.

• Monitor contract performance and implement improvements to maximize value realization.

Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership:

• Partner with business leaders and stakeholders to understand requirements and align sourcing strategies with business objectives.

• Lead cross-functional category teams and facilitate collaboration across multiple Koch businesses and functions.

• Present sourcing recommendations, category strategies, and market insights to senior leadership and key decision-makers.

• Drive change management initiatives that support procurement transformation and business performance improvements.

• Influence stakeholders through data-driven insights and effective communication.

Procurement Technology & Continuous Improvement:

• Leverage procurement platforms and digital technologies to improve sourcing processes and spend visibility.

• Utilize tools such as Ariba, Coupa, or similar procurement solutions to enhance category performance and operational efficiency.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that streamline procurement processes and improve business outcomes.

• Utilize analytics, reporting, and market intelligence tools to support strategic decision-making.

• Promote innovation and adoption of best practices across procurement and supplier management activities.

Who You Are (Basic .