Category Buyer - Cowling

Are you ready for what’s next?  

Come explore opportunities within Brunswick, a global marine leader committed to challenging conventions and innovating next-generation technologies that transform experiences on the water and beyond.  Brunswick believes “Next Never Rests™,” and we offer a variety of exciting careers and growth opportunities within united teams defining the future of marine recreation. 

Location: Fond du Lac, WI

Workplace Category: Hybrid; 3+ days in office per week

Travel Required: 20%

Direct Reports: Yes

Pay Range:  $73,600 – $106,200

Visa Sponsorship: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.  This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future. 

Relocation: Yes

Innovation is the heart of Brunswick.  See how your contributions will help transform vision into reality

The Category Buyer is a key individual contributor in Mercury’s global direct material procurement organization, focused on highly engineered and complex cowl systems.  Reporting to the Category Manager, the Category Buyer helps develop and execute sourcing and supplier management strategies to continuously improve cost competitiveness, quality, delivery, and innovation to support Mercury’s global manufacturing operations and product development efforts.

At Brunswick, we have passion for our work and a distinct ability to deliver. 

Essential Functions:

Supplier Management

Proactively build and maintain constructive business relationships with suppliers and internal customers to understand needs and facilitate collaboration across all stakeholders to deliver expected results. Demonstrated behaviors should include the ability to effectively:

• Proactively support the Category Team in strategy development, execution, and communication while providing supplier and market intelligence to support decision making.
• Visit current and potential suppliers to evaluate capabilities, assess risk, develop category expertise, and maintain visibility to supplier operations, capacity, industries, and markets
• Conduct in-person business reviews with suppliers to drive accountability and continuous improvement in quality, delivery, cost, and capacity performance.
• Facilitate Requests for Quote, analyze quotations, and build supplier selection recommendations based on total landed cost, capabilities, risk, capacity, and business requirements.
• For new or changing component designs, obtain supplier quotations and feasibility assessments to ensure manufacturability, cost, timing, and capacity requirements are fully understood prior to sourcing decisions.
• Execute purchase orders, requisitions, and appropriation requests for the purchasing of tooling, components, and services as required
• Identify supplier risks and develop mitigation plans to support business continuity and uninterrupted supply.
• Drive supplier performance improvement activities utilizing Mercury's Supplier Progress Review process and related continuous improvement tools.
• Monitor supplier capacity and readiness to support current and future production requirements.

Project Management

Manage projects in a collaborative, thorough, and detail-oriented manner to ensure quality, cost, and timing objectives are achieved. Demonstrated behaviors should include the ability to effectively:

• Utilize effective project management tools to ensure timely completion of sourcing, supplier development, and new product launch activities.
• Manage supplier-driven and Mercury-driven changes through established change management processes.
• Develop, align, monitor, and communicate project schedules with suppliers and internal stakeholders to manage risk and ensure successful execution.
• Coordinate supplier readiness activities supporting new product launches, engineering changes, and production transitions.
• Lead supplier action plans and recovery activities when performance gaps or project risks are identified.
• Ensure supplier deliverables and milestones are completed in alignment with program timing requirements.

Cost Management

Drive cost optimization for Mercury in all sourcing and supplier management activities. Demonstrated behaviors should include the ability to effectively:

• Conduct detailed analysis of supplier quotations and commercial proposals utilizing industry benchmarks, market data, and should-cost methodologies.
• Develop cost reduction opportunities through supplier collaboration, value analysis, process improvements, and sourcing initiatives.
• Manage tooling lifecycle activities with suppliers, including monitoring condition, capacity, maintenance requirements, and replacement planning.
• Support processes to quantify and recover costs associated with supplier performance issues.
• Negotiate commercial agreements, pricing adjustments, tooling investments, and other supplier-related activities to obtain the best possible outcome for Mercury.
• Support accurate reporting of financials with timely and accurate forecasting of potential future cost changes and diligent use of Mercury’s processes for managing orders and changes

Collaboration 

Proactively engage all internal and external stakeholders with a positive attitude, effective communication, and a drive that builds mutually beneficial outcomes aligned with Mercury’s strategic needs.  Demonstrated behaviors should include the ability to effectively: 

• Demonstrate a high level of personal integrity, procurement/category credibility, and focus on common goals that builds trust with stakeholders 
• Support and actively participate in cross-functional discussions with suppliers 
• Participate in the decisions being made as part of the team and ensure procurement objectives are understood and aligned cross-functionally 
• Drive proactive communication of current concerns and emerging issues across all stakeholders, facilitate plans to resolve 
• Collaborate with the category leader to develop, align, communicate, and champion strategies 

Diversity of thought and experiences is fundamental when imagining the unimaginable. Certain skillsets/experiences are necessary; however, others can be developed along the way.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Operations Management, or a closely related business field is required
• 5+ years of previous experience operating in a supply chain management or engineering capacity.
• Strong analytical, financial, project management, and communication skills
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally, including day and overnight trips, up to approximately 20%

Preferred Qualifications:

• CPSM and CPIM certification preferred.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt preferred

The hiring range for this position is $73,600 to $106,200 annually. The actual base pay offered will vary based on multiple factors including job-related knowledge/skills, relevant experience, business needs, and geographic location. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the specifics of the candidate’s qualifications and the business context.

In addition to base pay, this position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. This position is eligible to participate in Brunswick's comprehensive and high-quality benefits offerings, including medical, dental, vision, paid vacation, 401k (up to 4% match), Health Savings Account (with company contribution), well-being program, product purchase discounts and much more. Details about our benefits can be found here.

Why Brunswick: 

Brunswick Corporation is a leader in the marine industry, and we’re looking for people just like you to take part in the movement towards better boating for all. We rely on the thoughtful input of people from all backgrounds to create compelling, innovative products for our customers around the globe. As such, diversity, equity, and inclusion are priorities in the enduring culture of our company. As a world leader in emerging recreational products and technologies, when you join our team, you become part of some of the most innovative, forward-looking brands in the marine industry today.

About Mercury Marine:

Headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Mercury Marine® is the world’s leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion engines. A division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), Mercury provides engines, boats, services and parts for recreational, commercial and government marine applications. Mercury empowers boaters with products that are easy to use, extremely reliable and backed by the most dedicated customer support in the world. The company’s industry-leading brand portfolio includes Mercury outboard engines, Mercury MerCruiser® sterndrive and inboard packages, Mercury propellers, Mercury inflatable boats, Mercury SmartCraft® electronics, Land 'N' Sea marine parts distribution and Mercury and Quicksilver® parts and oils. More information is available at MercuryMarine.com.

Next is Now!  

We value growth and development, recognizing that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying.

Brunswick is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is key to innovation and inspiration and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.  If you require accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact [email protected] for support. 

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Brunswick does not accept applications, inquiries or solicitations from unapproved staffing agencies or vendors. For help, please contact our support team at: [email protected] or 866-278-6942.

All job offers will come to you via the candidate portal you create when applying through a posted position through https:///www.brunswick.com/careers.  If you are ever unsure about what is being required of you during the application process or its source, please contact HR Shared Services at 866-278-6942 or [email protected].

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