• Manage direct spend categories to drive best-cost, supply continuity and reducing risk.
• Negotiate favorable terms, volume discounts and long-term contracts with suppliers and vendor partners.
• Leader and owner of category management driving key vendor conversations.
• Manage $75-100M in spend across key medical and raw material categories.
• Provide strategic insights on Global and geopolitical changes impacting tariffs, raw materials and regulatory requirements (tariff rates, new laws and natural resources).
• Define strategies to overcome obstacles driving higher costs and supply instability.
• Provide high-level product expertise on all managed categories including raw material inputs, manufacturing techniques and key vendors.
• Provide guidance and recommend actions to reduce costs based on continuous improvement processes within Manufacturing, raw material changes, or other cost-down initiatives.
• Understand how Medline product compares to the competition.
• Manage supplier relationships to secure cost reductions through effective negotiation on pricing and product development opportunities.
• Contribute to the creation of long-term vendor contracts, rebate plans and growth incentives to drive cost efficiency.
• Review analysis from the Global Sourcing Operations team on vendor and supplier price increases and evaluate their net impact against rebates.
• Develop and implement negotiation tactics to mitigate price hikes utilizing Medline’s volume, sourcing tools and exploring options such as dual sourcing or engaging new global vendors.
• Develop and execute a risk profile for each sourced country.
• Consider multiple country sourcing, dual sourcing and geopolitical factors.
• Recommend vendors based on strategic risk assessment.
• Manage a broad mix of product categories and become the subject matter expert on product requirements, manufacturing processes, raw materials and other key value drivers.
• Analyze and evaluate cost inputs to contribute to cost optimization efforts and drive best-cost outcomes for Medline.
• Evaluate sourcing strategies for domestic versus import suppliers, assessing factors such as cost, quality and lead time.
• Conduct Make vs. Buy analysis for sourced products to identify the most cost-effective and efficient solutions.
• Assist in the creation and implementation of a global sourcing strategy to drive vendor performance.
• Including vendor allocation optimization, re-sourcing and cost containment/reduction for assigned categories.
• Provide insights based on market research and supplier performance to help optimize the strategy.
• Identify new cost-saving opportunities within the product category to drive GM growth.
• Support the identification and implementation of Medline-branded opportunities and assist in negotiating long-term deals with both domestic and import suppliers to secure favorable pricing and terms.
• Work collaboratively with Medline Shanghai, Supply Chain, Quality and Product Management teams to maintain and develop vendors and products to reduce supply risk and ensure a healthy supply chain.
• Manage activity for Medline part and vendor numbers.
• Establish new part numbers for supplier moves, packaging optimization and PIRs.
• Work closely with the reorder buying group to address ongoing issues with problem suppliers when initial communication efforts have failed.
• Help analyze the situation, gather necessary data and facilitate discussions to find resolutions and improve supplier performance.