Commodity Manager

The Toro Company is a homegrown, Minnesota-based company that has been in business since 1914. We pride ourselves on providing world-class equipment to help maintain the environment that we love, while putting an emphasis on giving back to the communities that surround us. From residential lawns and gardens, to venues such as St Andrews Links and Target Field, we are a company with a global footprint and a passion for helping people beautify whatever landscape they may be in. With 100 years of operation under our belt and an average employee tenure of 15 years, come find out what makes The Toro Company the best place in the Twin Cities to build a career. 

The Category Manager is a highly visible and impactful sourcing team leader, collaborating with multiple positions both within and outside the Integrated Supply Chain (ISC) to help achieve its goals of Operational Excellence and Sustainability. The Category Manager I’s major responsibilities are the development, implementation, and execution of category strategies to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO).  The Category Manager I will also be responsible for cultivating, managing, and maintaining strategic supplier relationships, as well as implementing and maintaining continuous improvement projects. The Category Manager I position is a valuable strategic role within the global sourcing department, contributing significantly to the long-term goals as well as day-to-day operations.

• Develop and execute cost reduction strategies to reduce TCO through cross-functional collaborations and supplier negotiations/partnerships.
• Maintain and present category strategy to sourcing leadership.
• Coordinate and implement supply agreements, Long Term Agreements (LTA), Warranty Agreements, and collaborative partnerships.
• Serve as an internal resource and liaison to other areas within the organization regarding supplier capabilities, technologies, market conditions, and business risk/opportunities.
• Manage supplier performance through various metrics such as on-time delivery (OTD), supplier report cards, and quality notifications (QN).
• Lead cost negotiations, payment term discussions, and contract implementations with strategic suppliers.
• Track, report, and reconcile all material price variants (MPV)/purchase price variants (PPV) to ISC and Finance leadership.
• Effectively communicate with internal and external customers on all aspects of category.
• Support escalation process by engaging suppliers as well as TTC manufacturing facilities.  
• Develop and implement lean strategies that align with TTC Operational Excellence and Sustainability goals through methods such as KanBan, Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI), stocking agreements, etc.
• Support TTC Digital Transformation objectives.
• Support multiple areas of the parts procurement process within TTC’s MRP/ERP system.
• Provide direction and support to team regarding category strategy.
• Confidently present to all organization levels within the company.
• Ability to troubleshoot issues of varying complexity as they arise.
• Lead & support various intradepartmental process improvement projects.
• All other tasks and projects as assigned.

Job Dimensions

Interfacing with commodity buyer, supplier quality engineer, advanced sourcing managers, product managers, engineering, legal, manufacturing facilities and suppliers.  This position is responsible for strategic sourcing activities for the assigned set of commodities. Travel both domestic and/or international will be required.

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferred in Supply Chain Management, Operations or Engineering.

• Level I = 7+ years sourcing experience or relevant education normally gained by completing degree in supply chain or operations related field.

• Level II = 10+ years sourcing experience or relevant education normally gained by completing degree in supply chain or operations related field.

• Experience in Metals and executing Metals Strategy preferred.

• Supply Chain Management certification, or ability to achieve, preferred.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to professionally interact with internal and external stakeholders at all levels in the organization.

• Highly self-motivated, ability to work under pressure, manage and prioritize multiple objectives concurrently, attend to details, and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.

• Proven ability to analyze situations and accurately take effective actions.

• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Suite, MRP/ERP experience required, SAP® experience preferred.

• Ability to maintain composure during rapidly changing situations, remaining focused on the relevant objective.

• Capacity to work independently as well as within a team-oriented, collaborative environment.

• Understanding of manufacturing processes, cost drivers, and market dynamics for assigned commodities.

At The Toro Company, we are always working to make sure our employees know just how valued they are. In addition to a competitive salary, an affordable and top tier medical/dental/vision plan, 401k, and many other great benefits - The Toro company offers employees at ourBloomington, MN HQlocation a variety of perks, including:  

• Dress for your day - We know you're more productive when you're comfortable, which is why TTC employees are encouraged to take advantage of our casual, corporate environment.  

• Location – Conveniently located near both St. Paul and Minneapolis, we are centrally located for most commuters  

• Food - Take advantage of our onsite café, which serves both breakfast and lunch. With a Caribou Coffee attached, you can grab a snack and a coffee at any time during your day.  

• Wellness - The Toro Company’s HQ offers complimentary use of our onsite fitness facility to employees. In addition to physical wellbeing, TTC offers a variety of mental health and financial health resources to all employees.  

• Volunteerism - The Toro Company is proud to provide employees 20 hours of paid time to volunteer in the community.  

• Summer Hours – Enjoy a flexible schedule during the summer By working a little more during the first few days of the week, TTC employees at our Bloomington HQ are able to start their weekends early and leave by noon on Friday.  

• Flexible Work Arrangements – This team is currently implementing a hybrid work schedule. The opportunity to collaborate in the office and work from home part-time, has promoted team-building and flexibility.  ​#LI-Hybrid​ 

• Competitive Salary – The pay range takes into account skills, experience, education, and location. It is not common to be hired at or near the top of the range; compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. Cash compensation is one piece of our competitive total rewards package. If you need to, you can access your pay early with the One@Work app, formerly the Even app. 

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and related needs and conditions, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit based factors. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.  

#LI-TS1