Category Manager

Location: Orlando, United States of America

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Position Summary

Orlando, Hybrid

Thales is looking for a Category Manager who will represent the Procurement Organization for the Americas Region and shall be responsible for the effective creation and implementation of all the category’s strategic direction and management of the category within the scope of their responsibility (supporting the PCBA and Housing Integration category), working with the global team to implement category strategies, assure supply of materials, negotiate contracts and commercial terms and supplier relationship management). This role will be responsible for developing sourcing strategies, managing supplier relationships, as well as identifying and mitigating supply chain risk.

As Category Manager, and in full alignment with the Americas Procurement Team Leader, the individual in this role will be responsible for managing their category, bringing procurement acumen, support and influence strategies that drive product and service innovation.
They are responsible for providing the best procurement solutions (quality, price and timing), meeting customer needs and aligning with the relevant Procurement Strategies as lead by the Global Category Managers, ensuring full compliance with all Thales policies and procedures. 

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Serve as the point of contact and trusted advisor for all internal and external stakeholders—including executive leadership, bids and proposals teams, department heads, key suppliers, and audit bodies—providing expert guidance, insight, and representation for the category’s activities and priorities throughout the Americas.

• Strategically support the Procurement Team Leader in designing and optimizing the category’s organizational model to ensure balanced workload distribution, streamlined communication channels, and seamless alignment with business priorities, fostering strong, value-driven relationships with stakeholders.

• Lead by example in championing and ensuring rigorous adherence to Thales Group Purchasing policies, ethical standards, and best-in-class procurement practices across all category and stakeholder teams.

• Drive cost leadership and sustained competitiveness for all goods and services within the category by overseeing the effective use of advanced analytical tools (e.g., Purchasing Executive Summary [PES]), and implementing robust processes for ongoing performance tracking and improvement.

• Establish, refine, and oversee rigorous governance processes for category activities, ensuring comprehensive monitoring, accountability, and delivery of procurement initiatives against defined strategic objectives.

• Continuously analyze and interpret complex category markets, leveraging deep business and industry acumen to identify emerging trends, potential disruptors, regulatory developments, and technological innovations—and translate these insights into forward-looking, competitive category strategies for the business.

• Proactively generate actionable recommendations to enhance product and project competitiveness, exploring opportunities with alternative suppliers, innovative methodologies, and advanced technologies to maximize value creation.

• Provide strategic guidance in defining, planning, and monitoring category acquisition schedules and deliverables, ensuring clear alignment with business roadmaps and critical project milestones.

• Ensure full compliance with all Thales acquisition processes (e.g., “Manage Acquisition” per Chorus 2.0), and drive adoption of digital tools and procurement platforms (e-Acquisition, ERP, etc.), embedding process excellence and digital best practices throughout the function.

• Fulfill the responsibilities of a functional Category Manager, serving as a thought leader in procurement, and actively contributing to the continuous improvement and capability development of the regional and global procurement organization.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Procurement, Supply Chain Management, or a closely related field with a minimum of 9 years of progressive and relevant procurement experience, or a Master’s degree in Procurement, Business Administration, or a related discipline with at least 8 years of advanced procurement leadership experience; professional certifications (CIPS, ISM, CPSM, etc.) preferred.

• Demonstrated mastery of advanced sourcing methodologies, including Make/Buy analysis, Should Cost modeling, and comprehensive supplier risk assessment and mitigation approaches; proven track record of applying these techniques to drive strategic value and optimize total cost of ownership.

• Extensive experience in developing and operationalizing innovative category strategies that underpin both short- and long-term organizational objectives, leveraging deep procurement expertise to deliver sustained competitive advantage for the business.

• Established reputation for reliability and accountability, with a history of making and honoring strategic commitments to internal and external partners.

• Proven ability to mentor, develop, and inspire procurement and cross-functional teams, fostering engagement and aligning efforts with both regional and global procurement strategies.

• Outstanding strategic and business acumen, capable of navigating complexity to make high-impact decisions and synthesize insights into actionable strategies that anticipate global market dynamics and organizational needs.

• Recognized leadership and facilitation skills in guiding cross-functional teams, advancing collaboration, and championing a high-performance, results-oriented culture.

• Superior organizational agility, analytical acumen, and proven problem-solving capability—able to translate business challenges into innovative procurement solutions and deliver continuous improvement.

• Exceptional communication skills—both executive-level verbal and written—with demonstrated ability to influence, persuade, and engage diverse audiences, including C-suite and global stakeholders.

• Impeccable executive presence and stakeholder management expertise, with a proven track record of building credibility and trusted relationships at all levels of the organization.

• Demonstrated excellence in complex contract negotiation and management, with a history of securing win-win outcomes in challenging commercial environments.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or for assuming sponsorship of an employment visa now or in the future.

Special Position Requirements

Travel: up to 20% domestic and international

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This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with [a] criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal law, state law, and local ordinances.

We are an equal opportunity employer, including disability and veteran status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales, please contact us at [email protected].

The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between

Total Target Cash (TTC) 91,282.00 - 176,381.00 USD Annual

This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including – but not limited to – the employee’s career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company’s annual salary budget, the customer’s program requirements, and the company’s internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s status protected by local, state, or federal law.

(For Internal candidate, if you need more information, please reach out to your HR Shared Service, 1st Point) 

Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following:

•Elective Health, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Whole Group Life w/LTC, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Legal Plan, Identity Theft, and Pet Insurance

•Retirement Savings Plan after 30 days of employment with a company contribution and a match, and with no vesting period

•Company paid holidays and Paid Time Off

•Company provided Life Insurance, AD&D, Disability, Employee Assistance Plan, and Well-being Program