Senior Category Manager

Company Description

Sandisk understands how people and businesses consume data and we relentlessly innovate to deliver solutions that enable today’s needs and tomorrow’s next big ideas. With a rich history of groundbreaking innovations in Flash and advanced memory technologies, our solutions have become the beating heart of the digital world we’re living in and that we have the power to shape.

Sandisk meets people and businesses at the intersection of their aspirations and the moment, enabling them to keep moving and pushing possibility forward. We do this through the balance of our powerhouse manufacturing capabilities and our industry-leading portfolio of products that are recognized globally for innovation, performance and quality.

Sandisk has two facilities recognized by the World Economic Forum as part of the Global Lighthouse Network for advanced 4IR innovations. These facilities were also recognized as Sustainability Lighthouses for breakthroughs in efficient operations. With our global reach, we ensure the global supply chain has access to the Flash memory it needs to keep our world moving forward.

Job Description

The Senior Category Manager is responsible for the end-to-end management and ownership of Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) categories supporting semiconductor manufacturing operations. The category portfolio includes equipment spare parts, maintenance services, industrial supplies, production consumables, fabrication items, equipment support services, and other indirect materials and services required to support manufacturing operations.

The scope of this position covers all aspects of category management, including sourcing strategy execution, supplier selection and management, contract management, supplier consolidation, cost optimization, risk mitigation, supply continuity, and supplier escalation management. The Category Manager will collaborate closely with Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Planning, Finance, Quality, and Legal teams and act as a procurement partner to ensure alignment with business objectives, operational requirements, and manufacturing continuity.

This role plays a critical role in ensuring the availability of materials, spare parts, services, and supplier support required to maintain equipment uptime, operational excellence, and business continuity.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for MRO categories, including spare parts, maintenance services, industrial supplies, manufacturing consumables, and fabrication items.
• Lead RFQ/RFP activities and supplier selection processes in partnership with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Establish and manage supplier agreements, contracts, and commercial terms to support business and operational requirements.
• Monitor category spend, conduct market benchmarking, and drive cost reduction, cost avoidance, and value improvement initiatives.
• Manage supplier relationships with a focus on service performance, cost competitiveness, supply continuity, and risk management.
• Lead supplier escalations involving spare parts shortages, service support issues, delivery delays, warranty claims, and manufacturing-critical operational disruptions.
• Develop and implement mitigation, recovery, and business continuity plans to minimize operational and supply chain risks.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Planning, Finance, Quality, and Legal teams to support manufacturing uptime and operational readiness.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews and drive corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Monitor market trends, supplier capabilities, and industry developments to identify sourcing opportunities and alternative supply solutions.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procurement procedures, Ethics & Compliance, Trade Compliance, IMS, BCMS, and applicable ISO standards.
• Support Business Continuity Management (BCM) activities and crisis response initiatives to ensure minimal business disruption.

Qualifications

REQUIRED:

• BS Degree preferred in Business, Supply Chain or related disciplines.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in commodity management and procurement.
• Subject matter expertise in sourcing & contracting tools like SAP or Oracle Cloud.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office applications: Excel including excel (V-Look Up, Pivot Tables), Word, PowerPoint.

PREFERRED:

• Prior experience in commodity management of Indirect materials.
• Good understanding of Supplier base that provide Indirect solutions to Semiconductor or Electronics companies.

SKILLS:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong negotiation and supplier management capabilities.
• Ability to manage supplier escalations and drive issue resolution.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications: Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Additional Information

Sandisk thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.

Sandisk is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at [email protected] to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES: Sandisk has received reports of scams where a payment is requested on Sandisk’s behalf as a condition for receiving an offer of employment. Please be aware that Sandisk and its subsidiaries will never request payment as a condition for applying for a position or receiving an offer of employment. Should you encounter any such requests, please report it immediately to Sandisk Ethics Helpline or email [email protected].