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Category Manager Indirects

JBT Marel · Chicago, IL · Full time

Posted Aug 24, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a sourcing event you led that saved money. How did you measure the savings?

What they are checking: Whether they deliver real, defensible savings rather than inflated numbers.

Tell me about a supplier negotiation that got difficult. What did you do?

What they are checking: Whether they negotiate firmly and keep the relationship intact.

Tell me about a time you led a cross-functional team through a sourcing project.

What they are checking: Whether they can lead people from operations, finance and other groups toward a shared decision.

What would you do

A site manager insists on keeping a local supplier you want to consolidate. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can influence across business units without authority, which the posting stresses.

How do you get legal and IT software buyers to involve procurement early?

What they are checking: Whether they can win a seat at the table in categories where stakeholders often go around procurement.

How do you make sure negotiated contracts actually get used at each site?

What they are checking: Whether they drive compliance after the deal, where savings are often lost.

About the work

Walk me through how you build a category strategy for something like MRO or fasteners across North America.

What they are checking: Whether they have a structured sourcing process from spend analysis to supplier selection.

Indirect spend is often scattered across sites. How do you get visibility into what's being bought?

What they are checking: Whether they can find and clean spend data, the foundation of any indirect category strategy.

How would you approach sourcing temp labor differently from welding supplies?

What they are checking: Whether they know that services categories carry different risks, contracts and stakeholder needs.

How do you weigh cost savings against supply risk when consolidating suppliers?

What they are checking: Whether they think about continuity of supply, not just unit price.

What metrics would you report to the Director of Indirect Spend each quarter?

What they are checking: Whether they can show category performance in a way leadership can use.

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The full job description

As published by JBT Marel.

At JBT Marel, what we do matters , we know that the contribution of our employees leads to the success of our business. Our purpose is to transform the future of food; this guides our vision of being the global leader in food and beverage technology, by harnessing the full power of JBT Marel to partner with our customers and pioneer sustainable innovation. Our values show who we are at our best. As we Create with Collaboration, Serve with Integrity, Grow with Excellence, and Advance with Innovation. Opportunity JBT Marel is looking for a Category Manager Indirects. This is a corporate leadership role within JBT Marel's Global Sourcing organization, reporting directly to the Director of Indirect Spend for the Americas. It represents an exciting opportunity to drive indirect category management and sourcing efforts. This opportunity has a North America scope and is responsible for indirect goods and services such as MRO, Welding, Abrasives, Packaging, Fasteners, Utilities, Travel, Temp Labor, Legal, IT Software/Hardware. JBT executes strategy at the business unit and site level; therefore, this position requires excellent interpersonal skills, relationship building, collaboration, and influencing across multiple business units, organizational levels, and geographies. Responsibilities: • Establish category sourcing strategies, lead cross-functional strategic sourcing teams, negotiate with suppliers, and execute contracts to optimize JBT Marel's competitive position. • Drive supplier performance in your areas using agreed metrics and tools, conducting periodic supplier review meetings where performance is measured with agreed follow-up and action plans. • Negotiate supplier price reductions by reviewing sourcing history and supplier capabilities to align parts with qualified, competitive manufacturers. • Identify cost savings opportunities and variances by reviewing historical and competitive costs. • Bring industry benchmarks, expertise, knowledge of trends, and other third-party data to prepare for vendor selection and negotiation. • Drive appropriate relationships with category suppliers, aiming to achieve the optimal solution and cost of ownership that meets business goals, supported by a culture of continuous improvement with performance benchmarks in use. • Act as a market intelligence provider regarding categories; anticipate strategic opportunities and keep key stakeholders informed. • Drive category suppliers in Supplier Relationship Management activities to mitigate risk, improve performance, and add value to JBT Marel. • Create a category strategy in conjunction with internal customers to ensure a comprehensive, unified approach for the category. • Identify and achieve yearly cost savings value targets appropriate to the category aligned with annual budget processes Qualifications: • Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering or related field. • 5-10 years of experience of relevant strategic sourcing and procurement operations experience in indirect categories for goods and services in matrixed organization. • Blend of consulting and internal operation leadership roles (Operations Manager, Value Stream Manager) preferred. • Prior experience with Indirect Services related responsibility (contingent workforce, consulting services, financial services, legal services, recruitment services, travel, HR services, training and office suppliers) and Indirect Products (MRO, packaging, abrasives, tooling, chemicals, energy, fleet, plant, property & equipment). • Effective negotiation, communication, decision making and problem-solving skills. • Advanced knowledge of supply contracts with domestic and international suppliers • Supplier management and engagement experience. • Proficient in project management tools to drive progress and manage resources. Ability to learn and apply proprietary tools and systems. • Strong analytical skills including the ability to distill, synthesize, and draw conclusions on large amounts of data. • Must be able to travel, up to 40%. • Lean / Six-Sigma knowledge • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects requiring frequent communication, organization/time management and problem-solving skills. • #LI-KF1 • #LI-Remote • You must be authorized to work in the US without sponsorship now or in the future. Travel & Location • This position is fully remote, and we ask that you travel approximately 40% of the time. • We are committed to our employees and will provide you with development and opportunities to allow you to be the best version of yourself at work, at home, and in your community. • We foster a genuine inclusive team culture enjoying collaborative working across our global teams to deliver world-class projects. • We encourage development - ensuring new experiences and challenges at JBT Marel to feed your growth! • Benefits: JBT Marel offers benefits on day 1 of your employment. Including: Medical, Dental, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, family leave, vision coverage, and a matched 401(k) plan. Commitment to Diversity: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging is a fundamental value to JBT Marel and critical to our future success. A thoughtful, focused, and sustained effort to work towards our DEIB goals is not just a principled choice, but also a business imperative. Use of Technology in Our Hiring Process JBT Marel uses technology-assisted tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to support the review of applications. These tools help our recruiting teams identify skills and experience relevant to the role based on job-related criteria. All applications are reviewed by people, and AI is not used to make hiring decisions independently. We are committed to fair, consistent and inclusive hiring practices globally. Equal Opportunity Employment: JBT Marel provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and qualified applicants for employment. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. At JBT Marel, we apply this policy to all our employment practices, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, benefits, and training. We make hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit and business needs at the time. JBT Marel will reasonably accommodate applicants who need adjustments to participate in the application or interview process. If you require assistance or accommodation during the application process, please contact JBT Marel at 844-286-4524. #LI-CH1 #LI-Remote This is a remote position.

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