Category Manager - Sourcing & Procurement

About the role

Gratitude India is looking for an experienced Category Manager - Sourcing & Procurement in Chennai to develop and execute category management strategies and sourcing plans. The role needs strong expertise in procurement, market intelligence, spend analysis, supplier management, negotiations and cost optimisation. Candidates analyse market trends, material indices, cost structures, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), procurement data and supplier performance to drive strategic sourcing and improve supply chain efficiency. A strong understanding of the Kraljic Matrix is essential.

Key responsibilities

• Analyse procurement data to find trends, cost-saving opportunities and process improvements, and build dashboards and reports tracking procurement KPIs and supplier performance.
• Evaluate suppliers on capability, pricing, quality, delivery and compliance, support their selection and onboarding, and drive timely delivery and quality.
• Develop category strategies and sourcing plans, run sourcing projects in ERP/procurement platforms, negotiate with suppliers and perform spend, market, risk and bid analyses.
• Apply the Kraljic Matrix to set sourcing strategies and drive CAPEX and OPEX savings, a key performance indicator.
• Work with internal stakeholders, lead contract discussions, monitor contracts and identify risks or deviations.
• Improve procurement processes, support automation and digitisation, and ensure compliance with internal policies and regulations while mitigating supplier, commercial and contractual risks.

Required profile

• 8-15 years of experience in sourcing and procurement.
• Minimum 15 years of regular, full-time education (10+2+3); B.Tech preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance or a related field.
• CPSM or CIPS certification is an added advantage.
• Ex-TCS employees are not eligible to apply.

Required skills

• MS Excel, Power BI or similar analytics tools.
• SAP, Ariba, Oracle or Coupa.
• Negotiation, contract management, stakeholder management and communication.
• Knowledge of procurement regulations, compliance and risk management.