Strategic Sourcing Category Lead

Posted Yesterday
Be an Early Applicant
2 Locations
In-Office
80K-95K Annually
Mid level
Industrial • Manufacturing
The Role
Lead end-to-end category management and strategic sourcing for North American logistics. Run RFx processes, negotiate and manage suppliers, analyze spend and market trends, mitigate risks, and partner cross-functionally to improve cost, service, and supplier performance.
Summary Generated by Built In

As the largest pureplay adhesives company in the world, H.B. Fuller’s (NYSE: FUL) innovative, functional coatings, adhesives and sealants enhance the quality, safety and performance of products people use every day. Founded in 1887, with 2024 revenue of $3.6 billion, our mission to Connect What Matters is brought to life by more than 7,500 global team members who collaborate with customers across more than 30 market segments in over 140 countries to develop highly specified solutions that enable customers to bring world-changing innovations to their end markets. Learn more at www.hbfuller.com.

Position Overview: The Category Lead is responsible for end-to-end category management and strategic sourcing for Logistics across North America, owning performance from strategy development through execution. This includes leading RFx processes, managing supplier selection and negotiations, and driving supplier performance to deliver resilient, cost-effective, and high-performing logistics solutions aligned to enterprise priorities and business continuity. This role partners closely with cross-functional stakeholders to support the development of category strategy and lead execution across assigned categories, ensuring supply reliability and operational excellence across the network. The Category Lead is accountable for delivering measurable improvements in cost, service levels, risk mitigation, and overall category performance. Success in this role requires strong independent judgment, effective prioritization, and the ability to drive impact across a complex regional logistics portfolio.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead execution category management and sourcing activities for assigned Logistics categories

  • Execute end-to-end sourcing activities, including RFQ/RFP management, supplier engagement, bid analysis, negotiation, and award recommendations

  • Manage and develop supplier relationships, serving as a primary point of contact for performance management, issue resolution, and ongoing commercial activities

  • Partner with cross-functional stakeholders (Supply Chain, Operations, Finance) to align category strategy, ensure supply continuity, and support business priorities

  • Proactively identify risks, supply constraints, and cost drivers within the category, driving resolution and mitigation with limited escalation

  • Make data-driven commercial recommendations and decisions within defined scope, applying category, market, and business context to sourcing and supplier actions

  • Analyze spend, pricing, market trends, and supplier performance to identify cost optimization opportunities, improve service levels, and reduce risk

  • Ensure accuracy and integrity of category and sourcing data, supporting reliable inputs for decision-making and reporting

  • Contribute to continuous improvement of category management practices, sourcing processes, tools, and workflows to improve effectiveness and scalability

Minimum Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field preferred

  • 1–4 years of experience in sourcing, procurement, supply chain, or a related function

  • Experience supporting and executing RFQ/RFP processes, including supplier engagement, analysis, and recommendation development

  • Demonstrated ability to own and execute sourcing, procurement, or category workstreams end-to-end

  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills

  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, working independently and collaboratively

  • Familiarity with ERP systems, procurement tools, or similar enterprise systems

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience independently leading sourcing events or contributing to category strategy development

  • Direct experience managing supplier relationships and cross-functional stakeholder engagement

  • Background in logistics, supply chain, or other complex operational environments

  • Experience with spend analysis, category insights, cost management, or supplier performance tracking

#LI-LK1

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, and geographic location.

The salary for this role is $80,000-$95,000.

In addition to your salary, H.B. Fuller offers employees a competitive total rewards package including comprehensive benefits, incentive and recognitions programs, health & wellness benefits, 401K contributions, paid time off and paid holidays. Eligibility may vary.

H.B. Fuller is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and proud to have created a collaborative culture where employees around the world are seen, heard, and respected. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or marital status or status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected classification.

H.B. Fuller does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with H.B. Fuller, a written service agreement must be executed by Human Resources prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed service agreement, H.B. Fuller shall not be obligated for payment of any fee or compensation.

Skills Required

  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field
  • 1-4 years of experience in sourcing, procurement, supply chain, or related function
  • Experience supporting and executing RFQ/RFP processes, including supplier engagement, analysis, and recommendations
  • Demonstrated ability to own and execute sourcing, procurement, or category workstreams end-to-end
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, working independently and collaboratively
  • Familiarity with ERP systems, procurement tools, or similar enterprise systems
  • Experience independently leading sourcing events or contributing to category strategy development
  • Direct experience managing supplier relationships and cross-functional stakeholder engagement
  • Background in logistics, supply chain, or other complex operational environments
  • Experience with spend analysis, category insights, cost management, or supplier performance tracking

H.B. Fuller Compensation & Benefits Highlights

The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about H.B. Fuller and has not been reviewed or approved by H.B. Fuller.

  • Fair & Transparent Compensation Pay is considered market-competitive and often characterized as fair for the role rather than top-tier. Positioning appears middle-of-the-market, which feels reasonable for many roles.
  • Healthcare Strength Health coverage is described as comprehensive, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, wellness initiatives, and EAP support. Some roles also receive company support that can significantly offset employee-premium costs.
  • Retirement Support The retirement program combines a 401(k) with employer matching and additional non-elective company contributions. This design provides support beyond a standard match to bolster long-term savings.

H.B. Fuller Insights

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The Company
5,037 Employees
Year Founded: 1887

What We Do

H.B. Fuller is a leading global adhesives provider focusing on perfecting adhesives, sealants and other specialty chemical products to improve products and lives. Your day probably begins and ends with us. Just about everywhere you look – including the windows through which you see and the magazines you read – you’ll find industrial adhesives and sealants produced by H.B. Fuller. Most likely, we made the glue holding together your cereal box, the seals that keep your refrigerator airtight, and the specialty adhesive in your baby’s disposable diaper. While our products are virtually invisible, they play a vital role in ensuring the quality and convenience of modern life. We take pride in working with our customers to add value. At H.B. Fuller, we are committed to connecting what matters, bringing together people, products and processes that answer and solve some of the world's biggest adhesion challenges. Through our reliable, responsive technical service, we create lasting, rewarding connections with customers in the packaging, hygiene, electronic and assembly materials, automotive, paper converting, woodworking, construction, general assembly and consumer goods industries. And, we are committed to building an environment where employees are engaged, challenged and given an opportunity to drive superior results. We firmly believe that our employees drive the success of the company. With long-term, profitable growth as the ultimate goal, we strive to cultivate an environment that offers stimulating and financially rewarding opportunities

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