Senior Category Manager

Sunrun

San Francisco, Canada

Full Time

Posted August 26, 2026

$155k - $206k

Solar Energy

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Job Description

The Senior Category Manager executes effective procurement strategies, from initial identification of procurement needs for goods and services.

Key Responsibilities

Execute strategic sourcing strategies, best practices, and initiatives that support aggressive improvements in supplier quality, total cost effectiveness, enhanced service levels, improved coordination, delivery, pricing, lead-times, payment, risk compliance and other areas as identified.
Executes assigned category sourcing strategies including development and execution of RFI’s and RFP’s
Documents bid events through correspondence to suppliers utilizing advanced sourcing tools (e.g. reverse auctions)Develops selection criteria and drives the selection of suppliers in collaboration with cross-functional teams
Conducts supplier negotiations and ongoing supplier management
Actively seeks ways to streamline business processes
Researches and provides information on industry category trends and best practices
Provide procurement input to maximize procurement leverage, optimize project design and minimize project duration and cost.
Develop negotiation strategies, gain alignment from stakeholders, lead cross-functional, category-based negotiation teams, and implement appropriate supplier risk analysis
Directly negotiate with suppliers that require a detailed strategic plan and have a direct correlation with companies’ operational needs and goals.
Deep dive current spend information/data to identify sourcing projects for individual subcategories, and develop an overall cost reduction plan
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of business requirements and category ownership by creating and defending category strategies and decisions with sound analytics. Leads analytic tasks and synthesizes results
Monitor supplier performance to ensure that delivery dates and technical and contractual requirements are met
Participate in strategic meetings with suppliers and business leaders to ensure execution of defined strategies
Manages day-to-day on-going category supplier relations and seeks out growth or revision opportunities within the supply base
Act as the internal point of contact for supplier management and complaint resolution
Conduct regular supplier meetings and implement improvement strategies with suppliers. Creates, nurtures, and enhances supplier relationships
Aggressively manages category performance by adhering to internal Savings goals and reviewing financial models for commodity type items
Ensure spend portfolio for recurring managed spend is balanced through coordinated sourcing waves and leveraged with project sourcing activities
Drive consolidation of spend and seek out synergies across Business Units where applicable, by forming and leading cross-functional strategic sourcing teams to develop and implement category/commodity strategies and to drive cost from individual spend sub-categories
Develops total cost of ownership models for each assigned commodity; measuring and communicating performance of each supplier and commodity and driving continual improvement efforts
Champions weekly assigned category review meetings with cross-functional teams to manage category performance.
Self-motivated and directed within an individual contributor role.
Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment while prioritizing and managing multiple stakeholders, responsibilities, and delivering multiple first-of-their-kind programs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Industrial or Operations Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field required; Master’s degree in Business Administration or Supply Chain Management preferred
Minimum of 10+ years of procurement experience required
At least 3 years of experience in data analytics of spend preferred
Highly effective oral and written communication skills.
Ability to perform deep dive analytics and disseminate in a discernible fashion.
Highly effective at supplier negotiation and sourcing strategy development.
Advanced experience collaborating with internal and external resources.
Advanced Experience in managing projects and/or cross functional teams.
Advanced level skill in google sheets and office suite of products.
Advanced level skill in PowerPoint for crisp presentations.
Willing to travel up to 10% of the time for business purposes (within state and out of state).