Sr. Manager, Category
Core
Lead global sourcing and category management strategy for all marketing spend categories across cruise brands, managing $300M+ annual spend to support business growth and cost competitiveness.
Role type
Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing & Category Management
Builds
Strategic sourcing programs, supplier partnerships, and cost optimization initiatives for marketing services (agencies, media, digital, events, production, research, analytics).
Domain
Hospitality (Cruise Lines) / Marketing Procurement
Deliverable
production ML models | product features | dashboards & analysis | research | client delivery | infrastructure | physical/clinical work
Required skills
Strategic sourcing methodology, global contract negotiation, supplier relationship management, category strategy development, cross-functional team leadership, change management, spend analysis, risk management, compliance governance.
Preferred skills
MBA, Certified Purchasing Manager (CPSM), cruise line or duty-free industry experience, knowledge of MXP and SAP systems.
Technologies
MXP, SAP, Coupa, Oracle, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Procure-to-Pay systems.
Responsibilities
Develop and execute global category strategies for marketing spend; own strategic sourcing and supplier management for creative agencies, media, and digital services; deliver annual cost savings targets of 5–10%; lead end-to-end sourcing processes including RFx execution and supplier evaluation; negotiate complex global agreements; build and maintain strategic supplier partnerships; optimize the global supply base through rationalization and risk management; establish procurement governance and KPI frameworks; mentor procurement team members.
Seniority
Senior Manager, hands-on leadership with strategic oversight