Sr. Category Manager – Packaging

Owens & Minor is a global healthcare solutions company providing essential products, services and technology solutions that support care delivery in leading hospitals, health systems and research centers around the world. For over 140 years, Owens & Minor has delivered comfort and confidence behind the scenes, so healthcare stays at the forefront, helping to make each day better for the hospitals, healthcare partners, and communities we serve. Powered by more than 14,000 teammates worldwide, Owens & Minor exists because every day, everywhere, Life Takes Care™.

Global Reach with a Local Touch

• 140+ years serving healthcare

• Over 14,000 teammates worldwide

• Serving healthcare partners in 80 countries

• Manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Honduras, Mexico, Thailand and Ireland

• 40+ distribution centers

• Portfolio of 300 propriety and branded product offerings

• 1,000 branded medical product suppliers

• 4,000 healthcare partners served

Benefits

• Comprehensive Healthcare Plan - Medical, dental, and vision plans start on day one of employment for full-time teammates.

• Educational Assistance - We offer educational assistance to all eligible teammates enrolled in an approved, accredited collegiate program.

• Employer-Paid Life Insurance and Disability - We offer employer-paid life insurance and disability coverage.

• Voluntary Supplemental Programs - We offer additional options to secure your financial future including supplemental life, hospitalization, critical illness, and other insurance programs.

• Support for your Growing Family - Adoption assistance, fertility benefits (in medical plan) and parental leave are available for teammates planning for a family.

• Health Savings Account (HSA) and 401(k) - We offer these voluntary financial programs to help teammates prepare for their future, as well as other voluntary benefits.

• Paid Leave - In addition to sick days and short-term leave, we offer holidays, vacation days, personal days, and additional types of leave - including parental leave.

• Well-Being - Also included in our offering is a Teammate Assistance Program (TAP), Calm Health, Cancer Resources Services, and discount programs - all at no cost to you.

The compensation for this position will be $115,000 - $150,000 annually. The exact compensation will vary by experience, education and location.

SUMMARY

The Global Category Manager - Packaging is a strategic leadership role accountable for developing and executing a 12-36 month worldwide sourcing plan spanning all packaging tiers managing $100 MM in spend. Within a center-led hybrid model, the position drives negotiating power, designs index-based contracting frameworks, and shapes long-term market positioning across the portfolio. This role establishes commercial guardrails for packaging development in close collaboration with R&D and Marketing, optimizing total cost and protecting brand standards, while safeguarding manufacturing locations from commodity price volatility through disciplined, centralized oversight.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Category Strategy: Develop and deliver a robust, clear and aggressive 12-36 month global category strategy covering flexible, rigid, corrugated, labels, and tertiary packaging. Takes innovation, supply chain resilience, supplier relationships, and commodity volatility to deliver 4-5% cost savings to enable clear commercial advantage.
• Specification Optimization: Proactively works with Marketing and R&D to enhance cost leverage, operational efficiency, and sustainability outcomes before finalization.
• Contracting & Negotiation: Structure and enforce transparent, index-linked agreements, separating material inputs from conversion costs using market benchmarks.
• Cost & TCO Management: Lead value creation through advanced total cost modeling, incorporating yield, throughput, transportation efficiency, and disposal impacts. Market Insight & Margin Protection: Track raw material trends (pulp, films, resins, and inks) to secure advantageous forward positions and prevent unjustified cost pass-throughs.
• Supplier Strategy & Continuity: Expand and diversify the supplier network to strengthen resilience, reduce risk exposure, and ensure consistent supply.
• Cross-Functional Governance: Align with Marketing, R&D, Operations, and Quality to maintain centralized commercial control while enabling seamless execution at site level.
• Sustainability Leadership: Drive adoption of recycled content, lightweighting, and simplified material formats to meet ESG objectives without eroding profitability. Lead a 1-2 person team of packaging adjacent supply spend
• Team Leadership: Lead and coach regional procurement resources, ensuring strong execution of sourcing strategy an1-2-person engagement.
• Cost Analytics: Build robust total cost models, should-cost models and LPP modeling techniques incorporating yield, scrap, freight, and quality to identify, dimension and deliver on savings opportunities.
• Executive Communication: Prepare concise, insight-rich updates for senior leadership on market dynamics, supplier performance, and risk posture. Lead senior leader level communication on commodity market impacts, mitigation strategies, and procurement-driven savings opportunities to deliver business value.
• Performance Management: Enforce supplier KPIs covering quality, delivery, emissions, and competitiveness through disciplined tracking systems.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Packaging Engineering, Business, or a related highly analytical discipline. (Master’s degree preferred).
• 10+ years of progressive, global procurement experience, with a proven track record managing highly complex packaging portfolios in the FMCG, chemical, or manufacturing sectors.
• Deep, structural understanding of packaging manufacturing processes (extrusion, blow molding, corrugation, printing), raw material index mechanisms, and advanced strategic sourcing methodologies.
• Advanced capability in should-cost modeling, tooling analysis, and indexbased contract mechanics. Preferred:
• Master degree in supply chain management, business, packaging engineering or in related analytical discipline.
• Multilingual capabilities (e.g., Mandarin, Thai) to facilitate seamless negotiation and management within the APAC hub.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, &

ABILITIES

• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills, with proficiency in data analysis and reporting.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to synthesize disconnected macroeconomic events and consumer trends into a cohesive, global sourcing blueprint.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Relentless focus on quantitative evidence over qualitative vendor narratives
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and e-procurement tools (e.g. Coupa, Ariba, Rosslyn, others)
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fastpaced environment.
• The ability to adapt to changing situations, new information, and unexpected challenges.
• APICS or ISM certification (e.g., CPIM, CPSM) is a plus. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
• Preferred location: Atlanta, GA; Richmond, VA and US based remote work
• Ability to travel up to 10%.
• No environmental hazards indicated for this classification.
• Remote/Hybrid flexibility offered. The role requires regular alignment with global time zones to effectively manage the direct report in Thailand and interface with the global supply base.

If you feel this opportunity could be the next step in your career, we encourage you to apply. This position will accept applications on an ongoing basis.

Owens & Minor is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, religion, disability, age, status as a veteran, or any other status prohibited by applicable national, federal, state or local law.