Category Manager

Get to know The Pokémon Company International

The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children's entertainment properties in the world.

Learn more online at corporate.pokemon.com and pokemon.com. And check out Twitter (twitter.com/pokemon), LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/Pokemon), YouTube (youtube.com/pokemon), and Instagram (instagram.com/pokemon).

Get to know the role

• Job Title: Category Manager
• Job Summary: The Category Manager is responsible for the category management of indirect spend categories (i.e., marketing, professional services, e-commerce, etc.) at The Pokémon Company International (TPCi), including the development of category plans, execution of sourcing strategies, and management of supplier relationships.  The individual in this role is responsible for role modeling TPCi’s Core Values.  This position reports to the Head of Global Procurement.
• FLSA Classification (US Only): Exempt
• People Manager: No

What you’ll do

• Employ a customer-centric approach to providing internal and external stakeholders (i.e., TPCi process and business stakeholders and third-party suppliers) with excellent category management support.
• Partner and collaborate with Global Procurement teams (i.e., Procurement Operations and Accounts Payable), cross-functional teams (e.g., Legal, Information Security, Finance, etc.), and third-party managed service providers (MSPs) to support stakeholders effectively.

Category Management

• Develop and maintain relationships with functional business stakeholders in respective group of categories.
• Develop category plans for categories in alignment with overall category management objectives.
• Develop the formal category requirements aligned to business priorities and category management objectives.
• Develop category plans based on analysis of spend data, supply market dynamics, category intelligence, and business requirements.
• Develop, measure, maintain, benchmark and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for categories.
• Continuously research category management best practices and new trends that could be implemented for TPCi.
• Evaluate and analyze annual spend data, external market data, and other necessary information to support the enhancement and validation of category-specific strategies.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to develop build influence, evaluate, and change the status quo; identify and obtain buy-in for category strategy and value opportunities.
• Drive value beyond cost (i.e., risk mitigation, operational efficiencies, innovation, etc.).

Strategic Sourcing

• Coordinate and implement strategic sourcing initiatives for assigned categories.
• Execute strategic sourcing projects using best practice sourcing methodology to deliver exceptional total value in partnership with key stakeholders across the business.
• Assess supplier capabilities and identify new suppliers.
• Prepare and present business cases and should-cost models; perform complex data analysis and build financial models (i.e., ROI, NPV, supplier scorecards, savings tracking, make vs. buy decision models).
• Analyze and summarize RFP responses and results and prepare recommendations for business stakeholders.
• Ensure savings are delivered in a timely manner and that TPCi realizes expected benefits.
• Oversee and negotiate business terms within contract agreement forms for respective categories within TPCi Legal’ s established risk framework.
• Coordinate drafting and negotiation of terms and conditions with the Legal department; identify and escalate legal risk to Legal department as needed.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Manage supplier performance within the supplier relationship management framework and category strategy.
• Establish and manage the governance processes with suppliers and outsourced partners for categories.
• Implement strategies to best manage the supplier base for categories, reviewing suppliers against contracted obligations/service levels and business expectations.
• Provide feedback on supplier performance, seek continuous improvement, and innovation.
• Execute supplier performance measurement framework and develop stakeholder guidelines in conjunction with category management strategic objectives, leveraging performance management information as appropriate.
• Identify and manage supplier risks and risk response plans.
• Schedule, manage, and facilitate supplier relationship management meetings and reviews.
• Develops implementation and transition plans acting as a change agent.
• Implements and drives procurement strategy, policies, and procedures.
• Enforces compliance to procurement policies and works to increase adoption.

What you’ll bring

• Five (5) to seven (7) years of related professional experience.
• Bachelors degree in a related field or a demonstrated equivalent level of experience.
• Category management subject matter expertise and deep knowledge of source-to-pay (S2P) processes.
• Proficiency in spend analysis, market intelligence analysis, financial analysis, demand/supply planning, sourcing strategy development, negotiation, stakeholder management, contracts management, supplier performance management, project management, etc.
• Effective organizational skills and managing multiple and competing priorities and projects effectively.
• Self-motivation and innate sense of agency and autonomy.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills (verbal and written).
• Ability to present at the executive-level and communicate elements of complex deals and make recommendations.
• Continuous improvement mindset.
• Ability to support transformation and adopt change.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally a few times a year.

How you’ll be successful

• Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.
• Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.  
• Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.
• Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve. 
• Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a “team first” mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.  
• Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.

What to expect

• An employee first culture.
• Company events that celebrate the spirit of Pokémon.
• Competitive cash-based compensation programs.
• Base salary range: For this role, new hire generally start between $91,000.00 - $108,300.00. The full range is $91,000.00 – 137,000.00. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. Final base salary is directly related to each candidates’ qualifications and experience uniquely.
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for you.
• Generous paid family leave.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Employer-paid long and short-term income protection insurance.
• US Employees: 401k Employer Matching.
• UK/IRE Employees: Pension Employer Contributions.
• Fitness reimbursement.
• Commuter benefit.
• LinkedIn learning.
• Comprehensive relocation package.
• Hybrid work environment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this role. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. For roles in the United Kingdom, candidates will need the right to work. In some cases, and for some roles, the Company may be able to arrange a visa. For roles in Ireland, this role requires candidates to have the right to live and work in the Republic of Ireland. However, we welcome applications from all nationalities and may consider supporting an employment permit application, in appropriate and suitable cases.

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