Senior Category Manager – Sterilization & Specialty Materials

Medtronic

Sr. Category Manager developing global category strategies for Medtronic’s sterilization spend.

Posted 4/23/2026full-timeMinneapolis • Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Tennessee • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $138,400 - $207,600 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own and execute category strategies: Develop and execute global category strategies across Sterilization Services (EO, Gamma, and Radiation sterilization) and assigned specialty material subcategories, aligned with business growth, network strategy, regulatory requirements, and KPI targets.
Negotiate & optimize contracts: Lead commercial negotiations, contract renewals, pricing actions, and capacity commitments across sterilization modalities and applicable specialty material subcategories to deliver cost optimization (savings), improve contract coverage, and protect service levels.
Drive KPI performance management: Monitor supplier cost drivers (e.g., regulatory burden, energy inputs, utilization, demand volatility) and lead corrective actions across sterilization and specialty materials to improve supplier performance, reduce risk, and strengthen business continuity for high-revenue and high-risk product portfolios.
Lead market, capacity & supply analysis: Leverage demand, utilization, and capacity insights (and relevant market intelligence) across sterilization and specialty materials to inform sourcing decisions, anticipate constraints, and maintain KPI operating cadence (forecast accuracy, capacity assurance, and risk posture).
Support quality, compliance & change initiatives: Partner with Manufacturing, SQE, Regulatory, Network Strategy, Logistics, and Operating Units to support product launches, validations/qualifications, and ongoing compliance for sterilization services and applicable specialty material subcategories.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree required
Minimum of 7 years of experience in Category Management, Strategic Sourcing, or Supply Management, or an advanced degree with a minimum of 5 years of relevant category management experience
Experience with EO, Gamma, or Radiation sterilization, medical device manufacturing, or regulated industries.
Familiarity with sterilization validations, capacity planning, and supplier risk management.
Strong negotiation, analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.
Experience partnering with Quality, Regulatory, and Manufacturing organizations.
Excellent communication, collaboration, organization, and project management skills; strong presentation abilities.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Excel, analytics tools, and SAP.
Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally to vendor sites.
For Baccalaureate degrees earned outside of the United States, a degree that satisfies the requirements of 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A) is required.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health, Dental and vision insurance
Health Savings Account
Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
Life insurance
Long-term disability leave
Dependent daycare spending account
Tuition assistance/reimbursement
Simple Steps (global well-being program)
Incentive plans
401(k) plan plus employer contribution and match
Short-term disability
Paid time off
Paid holidays
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Employee Assistance Program
Non-qualified Retirement Plan Supplement (subject to IRS earning minimums)
Capital Accumulation Plan (available to Vice Presidents and above, or subject to IRS earning minimums)

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Category ManagementStrategic SourcingSupply ManagementSterilization (EO, Gamma, Radiation)Sterilization ValidationsCapacity PlanningSupplier Risk ManagementNegotiationAnalytical SkillsProblem-Solving

Soft Skills

Strategic ThinkingCommunicationCollaborationOrganizationProject ManagementPresentation Skills