Global Category Manager

Overview

The Electronic Components Global Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing worldwide sourcing strategies for electronic components, including semiconductors, printed circuit boards (PCBs), connectors, passive components, sensors, and displays. The role drives cost optimization, market trends, supply continuity, technology alignment, risk mitigation, and innovation across the global supply base, and manages the last-time process and broker relationships.

This position partners closely with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Product Management, and Finance to support both current production and new product introductions while achieving cost, quality, delivery, and sustainability objectives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute global category strategies for electronic components and related technologies.
• Conduct annual spend analysis by commodity, supplier, region, and business unit.
• Create and maintain a 3-5 year category roadmap aligned with business growth and product strategies.
• Analyze market trends, technology developments, capacity constraints, lead time risks, and inflationary drivers, and provide market forecasts and risk assessments to business stakeholders.
• Establish sourcing strategies for both existing product lines and new product development initiatives by partnering with Engineering during product design and development.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, capacity commitments, and long-term supply agreements.
• Build and manage strategic relationships with key electronic component manufacturers and distributors.
• Manage executive-level supplier escalations and performance recovery plans.
• Monitor semiconductor market dynamics, allocation risks, geopolitical developments, tariffs, and capacity constraints, and lead cross-functional response activities during supply disruptions.
• Develop risk mitigation strategies for sole-source and high-risk components.
• Create and maintain a safety stock strategy.

Qualifications

• 5-8+ years of procurement, strategic sourcing, category management, or supply chain experience.
• At least 5 years managing electronic components or electronics manufacturing supply chains.
• Experience negotiating with semiconductor manufacturers, EMS providers, PCB suppliers, and electronic component distributors.
• Experience within a regulated manufacturing environment preferred.
• Global sourcing and supplier management experience required.
• Strong Negotiator
• Supplier Relationship Management.

Company Description

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT)  is a global leader in life sciences and diagnostics, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, our innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across chemistry, physics, and biology. We collaborate with customers around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, ensure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combating antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, our passionate team of ~16,000 colleagues turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide.  

Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our core values at Waters Corporation. It benefits our employees, our products, our customers and our community. Waters complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Waters is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All hiring decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.