Regional Category Manager - Transportation Solutions
About the job
- A bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or a related discipline.
- At least 3 years of experience in category management, strategic sourcing, procurement, supply chain, or related commercial roles.
- Experience using SAP, SAP Ariba, or other procurement tools for spend analytics, purchase order management, and inventory reporting.
- Strong analytical skills, including advanced Excel capability and experience with spend analytics or business intelligence tools.
- Experience leading supplier negotiations, requests for quotations, cost analysis, and total cost of ownership improvement initiatives.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional projects with engineering, quality, finance, operations, trade compliance, and supplier partners.
- Ability to assess supply risk, develop mitigation plans, and communicate recommendations to leadership.
- Develop and execute regional category strategies for assigned TSBU product groups aligned to global sourcing plans.
- Own category commercial performance, including cost of goods, supplier savings, inventory efficiency, and lead times.
- Identify and implement process improvements that drive efficiency, reduce costs, and support business objectives.
- Collaborate with engineering and quality on material specifications, nonconformance resolution, and supplier corrective actions.
- Drive total cost of ownership improvements through cost-down roadmaps, value analysis/value engineering execution, value engineering, and supplier development initiatives.
- Monitor supply risk and implement mitigation plans, alternate sourcing strategies, and supplier continuity actions.
- Prepare and present category performance reporting, including savings, quality, inventory, lead time, and recommended actions for leadership review.
- Partner with Trade Compliance, customs brokers, and the foreign-trade zone operator/third-party logistics provider to support foreign-trade zone execution for the Lincoln, Nebraska site.
- Identify and implement foreign-trade-zone-enabled sourcing and logistics strategies that reduce total landed cost, improve lead times, and increase supply resilience.
- Coordinate foreign-trade zone material flows, including admissions, zone transfers, and withdrawals, to support production schedules and inventory accuracy.
- Provide guidance to cross-functional stakeholders on how foreign-trade zone requirements and opportunities affect sourcing decisions, timing, and cost.
- Ensure compliance with trade regulations, Harmonized Tariff Schedule classification, Incoterms, and customs documentation related to foreign-trade zone operations.
- Track utilization and savings opportunities related to foreign-trade zone activity.
- Prior experience applying financial and economic analysis to sourcing and supplier decisions.
- Experience in automotive, raw materials, stampings, or connector-related supply chains.
- Global sourcing, international supplier management, or foreign-trade-zone/trade-compliance experience.
About the company
Koch Industries is a large, private, diversified conglomerate that operates in energy, chemical processing, and manufacturing. It started from an innovation that turned heavy crude oil into gasoline and grew through long‑term investments rather than short‑term market moves. The company generates value by refining fuels and producing chemical products, and it operates Georgia-Pacific, a major maker of paper and building products. Its business model relies on reinvesting most earnings back into the company to fund steady, long‑term growth rather than paying out frequent dividends or seeking quick profits. Koch differentiates itself from many competitors by staying privately owned, which reduces pressure from public markets and enables longer‑range planning. The company’s goal is to build scale and durability across its holdings by sustainable, multi‑decade growth rather than rapid, episodic gains.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
Growth Equity (Non-Venture Capital)
Total Funding
$985.2M
Headquarters
Wichita, Kansas
Founded
1940
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Koch raised $224.4 million in equity financing on March 10, 2026, preserving dry powder.
- Koch's Africa fertilizer foothold expands global phosphate reach from Morocco's Jorf complex.
- Closed Tacoma gypsum plant concentrates capital into stronger Georgia-Pacific assets and higher-margin lines.
What critics are saying
- DOJ opened a fertilizer antitrust probe in March 2026, risking criminal charges and damages.
- Farmers filed class actions in March and June 2026 against Koch Agronomic Services.
- Georgia-Pacific will close Tacoma's gypsum plant on October 30, 2026, cutting 125 jobs.
What makes Koch Industries unique
- Private since 1940, Koch reinvests earnings for decades, not quarterly Wall Street optics.
- Koch Fertilizer expanded into Morocco on June 30, 2026 through Jorf Fertilizers ownership.
- Georgia-Pacific and Koch Agronomic Services give Koch integrated positions across packaging and fertilizers.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
- Paid Vacation
- Professional Development Budget
- Fertility Treatment Support
- Parental Leave
- Adoption Assistance
- Hybrid Work Options