Regional Category Manager- Customer Equipment

Solenis is a leading global provider of water and hygiene solutions. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives, cleaners, disinfectants, and state-of-the-art monitoring, control and delivery systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact, and create cleaner and safer environments. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 78 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over ~23000 professionals in >160 countries across six continents. Solenis is a 2025 Best Managed Company Gold Standard honoree.

For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com or follow us on social media.

We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Regional Category Leader – Customer Equipment to lead and optimize our regional (North America) equipment category for customer installations and service delivery. You will be instrumental in shaping and executing category strategy, driving value creation, and enabling competitive advantage across our global footprint.

You will bring strong leadership, deep knowledge of procurement in a customer-facing industrial context, and a proven track record in managing complex categories across geographies.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive regional category strategy in conjunction with the global strategy for customer equipment that aligns with corporate goals and supports growth.
• Lead regional strategy development, including segmentation, total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis, market intelligence, and supplier landscape assessment.
• Take responsibility for driving measurable category KPIs, ensuring performance tracking and continuous improvement.

Supplier Management & Commercial Excellence

• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with key suppliers of customer equipment.
• Drive robust commercial negotiations, develop long-term agreements, and ensure contractual compliance and performance.
• Identify and qualify new suppliers based on safety standards, quality, capability, and innovation.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely and work together with Engineering & Technical Services, Sales, Operations, Quality, and Regulatory teams to ensure equipment solutions meet customer requirements and internal standards.
• Act as the primary interface between Procurement and internal stakeholders for category requirements, project support, and execution.

Regional Sourcing Execution

• Lead regional sourcing initiatives, including RFPs, RFQs, bid analysis, and award recommendations.
• Implement category sourcing plans that balance regional leverage with local execution where necessary.
• Support business units in resolving supply, delivery, and quality issues related to equipment.

Risk & Compliance

• Manage supply risk through diversification, contingency planning, and robust supplier performance metrics.
• Ensure supplier and equipment compliance with relevant industry standards, safety regulations, and internal policies.
• Promote and embed sustainability criteria in sourcing decisions.

Cost Savings & Value Creation

• Deliver measurable cost savings and value capture through strategic sourcing, standardization, and process improvements.
• Benchmark category spend and pricing to drive best-in-class commercial outcomes.

Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop regional sourcing professionals.
• Champion a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, accountability, and results.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or related discipline; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of procurement/sourcing experience, with at least 4 years in regional category leadership roles.
• Experience in the chemicals, industrial equipment, or related technical industries.
• Proven success in strategic sourcing, supplier development, and complex negotiations.
• Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking.
• Excellent negotiation and contract management skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a matrixed organization.
• Data-driven mindset with capability in analytics, forecasting, and spend management tools.
• Flexibility to travel as needed.

We understand that candidates will not meet every single desired qualification.  If your experience looks a little different from what we’ve identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we’d love to learn more about you.

At Solenis, we understand that our greatest asset is our people. That is why we offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits which include medical, dental, vision & 401K, and numerous opportunities for professional growth and development. So, if you are interested in working for a world-class company and enjoy solving complex challenges, whether in the lab or the field, consider joining our team.

Solenis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer, including Minorities / Women/ Veterans / Disabled.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

Should you require assistance in applying to this opportunity, please reach out to Solenis Talent Acquisition at [email protected]