Category Strategy Development:

• Develop and implement long-term category strategies to optimize market share, revenue, and profitability using MSSM (Mars Strategic Sourcing Methodology).

• Conduct in-depth market research and analysis to understand customer needs, competitive landscape, and emerging trends in veterinary health.

• Set category-specific goals aligned with the company’s overall business objectives and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

Product Portfolio Management:

• Manage the lifecycle of products within the category, including new product introductions, product improvements, and discontinuations.

• Work closely with the R&D and procurement teams to ensure the development of high-quality products that meet customer needs and comply with regulatory requirements.

• Collaborate with marketing, operations, and medicine to ensure product selection meets hospitals’ needs

                Supplier & Vendor Management:

• Implement and manage new and renewed contract terms and services, negotiate pricing, and serve as the primary contact for contract-related issues

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers, negotiating favorable terms, ensuring reliable supply, and driving cost efficiencies.

• Collaborate with the stakeholders to identify and onboard new suppliers or product lines to enhance the product offering within the category.

• Integrates responsible and sustainable sourcing metrics into supplier performance and relationship management activities.

Financial Management & Reporting:

• Partner with Finance to contribute to business operating plans, communicating risks, opportunities, and variances.  

• Analyze sales and financial data to monitor category performance, identifying opportunities for growth or areas needing improvement.  

• Prepare regular reports and presentations for senior leadership, highlighting category performance and proposing action plans.  

• Collaborates and leads relevant buying operations and strategic sourcing specialist discussions and work around key categories, savings metrics, pricing, and exceptions reporting.

               Customer and Market Insights:

• Gathers feedback from veterinary customers, clinics, and other stakeholders to understand their needs and pain points.

• Works to be proactive and problem solve issues before they arise and when they arise, they are forward thinking and solution oriented.  

• Stay informed of industry developments, regulatory changes, and veterinary health trends that could impact the category.

• Identify growth opportunities through innovation, including new products, services, or business models that can enhance the value proposition.

Inventory & Supply Chain Management:

• Collaborate with buying operations team to ensure efficient inventory management and forecasting to avoid disruption, contingency planning, and reserves when possible.

• Analyze demand trends and work with distribution and team members to optimize inventory levels and logistics.

Compliance & Regulatory:

• Ensure all products in the category comply with local, national, and international veterinary health regulations.

• Stay up to date on changing regulatory environments and ensure that the category remains compliant with industry standards in partnership with quality.

• Closely partners with the quality team to make sure products and services are reviewed and approved by MVH quality standards and specifications.

• Partners with suppliers and sustainability teams to meet MVH sustainability goals and source sustainable products.

  Team Leadership:

• Lead and directly manage a team of sourcing specialists. Lead functional category specific working teams

• Foster a collaborative, performance-driven culture focused on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

• Collaborate with commercial leadership team and all commercial associates with a positive mindset to elevate skillsets, foster teamwork, and ensure a highly functional commercial team.

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, veterinary science, animal health, or related field. An MBA or advanced degree is a plus.

• 5+ years of experience in category management, product management, or a related field, preferably in the veterinary health, animal health, pharmaceutical, or healthcare industry.

• Strong understanding of the veterinary health market, including products, services, and customer needs.

• Proven track record of managing a product portfolio and driving category growth.

• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and make data-driven decisions.

• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively across departments and with external partners.

• Experience in financial management, including P&L responsibility.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and experience with product lifecycle management (PLM) software.

• Experience managing and developing a team of high performing professionals

Key Leadership Competencies