Associate Category Manager

It started with a simple idea: what if surgery could be less invasive and recovery less painful? Nearly 30 years later, that question still fuels everything we do at Intuitive. As a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery and minimally invasive care, our technologies—like the da Vinci surgical system and Ion—have transformed how care is delivered for millions of patients worldwide.

We’re a team of engineers, clinicians, and innovators united by one purpose: to make surgery smarter, safer, and more human. Every day, our work helps care teams perform with greater precision and patients recover faster, improving outcomes around the world.

The problems we solve demand creativity, rigor, and collaboration. The work is challenging, but deeply meaningful—because every improvement we make has the potential to change a life.

If you’re ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare, you’ll find your purpose here.

Primary Function of Position

• Manages supply chain of assigned direct materials suppliers and parts to support business continuity and optimization, including sourcing, supporting development of category strategy roadmaps, supporting contract negotiation, analyzing spend, creating inventory management strategies, gathering commodity intelligence, and managing supplier performance; may include limited management of purchase orders.
• May lead cross-functional category team
• Identifies and may support implementation of key continuous improvement initiatives

Essential Job Duties

Category Management

• Supports creation of long-term supplier strategies and roadmaps in collaboration with manager. Engages with internal stakeholders to learn about their needs and influence category strategy with manager to align with long-term business objectives.
• Co-leads direct procurement supplier selection process with collaboration from Supplier Engineering and oversight from manager. Uses strategic sourcing practices to identify a core supply base able to offer lowest total cost of ownership and high-quality product while identifying value improvement opportunities.
• Supports manager with alignment of production supplier requirements and sourcing strategies with those of new product development (NPI) for designated suppliers/categories to ensure uninterrupted material availability, alignment of risk, and cost goals with long term vision for the category / business
• Ensures assigned category team goals and objectives are achieved
• Engages with manager and cross-functional peers to understand and share market trends and commodity intelligence
• Supports creation of content for category strategy reviews and may present some content at these meetings

Supplier Performance Management

• Leads supplier scorecarding and supplier business reviews for assigned suppliers
• Collaborates with supply base and procurement team to manage demand changes to minimize excess inventory or material shortages
• Leads continuous improvement efforts needed with suppliers

Risk and Capacity Management

• Proposes mitigation plans for assigned suppliers and critical sub-tier suppliers and supports implementation in collaboration with manager and cross-functional peers
• Leads capacity assessments for assigned suppliers and critical sub-tier suppliers
• May serve as project manager for key supplier capacity or risk mitigation initiatives

Contract and Cost Management

• Under supervision of manager, utilizes established template agreements to install contracts with suppliers or amendments to existing agreements
• Collaborates with manager to establish long-term volume pricing, risk mitigation, and capacity agreements with key suppliers to support Intuitive’s volume growth
• Reviews, administers, and manages long-term purchase order and delivery commitments to designated suppliers as necessary to support production and/or sales requirements within the business
• Leads identification of cost reduction ideas to achieve year-over-year cost goals within assigned category(ies) and may support implementation of projects

Operational Management

• Supports plant purchasing by leading negotiations with suppliers to adopt and implement lean sourcing principles to enable 100% material availability and optimization of on-hand inventory levels.
• Embraces continuous improvement techniques to drive toward attainment of key purchasing metrics (supplier on-time delivery, quality, risk management, inventory velocity, and cost reduction).
• May lead change management/change order implementation for complex projects
• Supports master data integrity for suppliers and parts

May help train new colleagues within the supply chain organization. Identifies process and training improvement opportunities and may support closure of identified gaps.

Required Skills and Experience

• Strong knowledge of buying, material planning, master scheduling, and forecasting
• Demonstrated negotiations experience
• Significant computer experience including MS Office products and ERP systems. Strong Excel skills.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects successfully and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing company
• Thorough knowledge of and experience working with kanban systems and other lean principles
• Demonstrates concern for precision and thoroughness
• Proven ability to consistently achieve stretch goals and objectives
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Required Education and Training

• BS degree or equivalent and 8+ years of procurement or sourcing experience in a regulated industry manufacturing environment. Master’s degree preferred.

Working Conditions

• ~25% travel to both domestic and international suppliers

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in the medical device industry preferred
• SAP and Agile experience preferred
• Certifications: CPSM, CPIM, and/or PMP preferred

Due to the nature of our business and the role, please note that Intuitive and/or your customer(s) may require that you show current proof of vaccination against certain diseases including COVID-19.  Details can vary by role.

Intuitive is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, genetic information or any other status protected under federal, state, or local applicable laws.

Mandatory Notices

U.S. Export Controls Disclaimer:  In accordance with the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR §743.13(b)), some roles at Intuitive Surgical may be subject to U.S. export controls for prospective employees
who are nationals from countries currently on embargo or sanctions status.

Certain information you provide as part of the application will be used for purposes of determining whether Intuitive Surgical will need to (i) obtain an export license from the U.S. Government on your behalf (note: the government’s licensing process can take 3 to 6+ months) or (ii) implement a Technology Control Plan (“TCP”) (note: typically adds 2 weeks to the hiring process).  

For any Intuitive role subject to export controls, final offers are contingent upon obtaining an approved export license and/or an executed TCP prior to the prospective employee’s
start date, which may or may not be flexible, and within a timeframe that does not unreasonably impede the hiring need. If applicable, candidates will be notified and instructed on any requirements for these purposes. 

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.

Preference will be given to qualified candidates who do not reside, or plan to reside, in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, or Tennessee.

This position may be filled at a different job level than listed here depending on
business need and/or on the selected candidate’s experience, knowledge and skills.
Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the
candidate’s qualifications, consistent with applicable law.

Accommodation & Accessibility Notice:

Intuitive is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance or an accommodation during any part of the application or interview process, please contact People Services at [email protected].

We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity. It would not be typical for someone to be hired at the top end of range for the role, as actual pay will be determined based on several factors, including experience, skills, and qualifications. The target compensation ranges are listed.