Senior Category Manager, MRO

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. 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. 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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.