Contract Manufacturing Category Manager I (onsite)

Axon Axon · Enterprise · AZ · 1004 SCM - Supply Chain - Procurement

This role is for a Contract Manufacturing Category Manager I at Axon, focusing on managing assigned categories within the supply base and spend. The position requires a broad market understanding, stakeholder engagement, and ensuring suppliers meet quality, delivery, and continuous improvement requirements while optimizing cost and inventory. The role also involves assessing market dynamics, supplier risk, and driving strategies for competitiveness and supply continuity. Experience in electronics manufacturing and global EMS/CM landscape is crucial.

What you'd actually do

  1. Manage supplier performance through formal business reviews and ongoing engagement to meet Axon’s requirements for quality, delivery, cost, innovation, and continuous improvement
  2. Act as the subject matter expert for defined commodities, assessing market dynamics and supplier risk while driving strategies to improve competitiveness and supply continuity
  3. Partner with demand planning to communicate forecasts and align supplier capacity with short- and long-term business needs
  4. Lead spend management initiatives to optimize supplier base, cost, inventory, and payment terms
  5. Manage supplier inventory levels through advanced replenishment strategies and negotiation of lead times and MOQs

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field
  • 7+ years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or commodity/category management
  • Strong expertise in electronics manufacturing and global EMS/CM landscape (e.g., Jabil, Plexus, Sanmina), including PCBA, system integration, NPI, and supply chain constraints
  • Proven ability to develop and execute category strategies driving cost, quality, and risk outcomes
  • Advanced negotiation skills (should-costing, LTAs, VAVE, pricing models) and experience managing complex global supplier agreements
  • Strong supplier performance management experience (KPIs, QBRs, scorecards, continuous improvement) with demonstrated accountability across cost, quality, and delivery
  • Solid understanding of cost drivers and total landed cost optimization, with experience in manufacturing transfers, ramp-up, and dual-sourcing strategies
  • Experience identifying and mitigating supply chain risks, including geopolitical and capacity challenges, with ability to build multi-region sourcing strategies
  • Awareness of key industry trends (reshoring, China+1 strategies, component shortages, lifecycle management)
  • Strong analytical mindset with ability to benchmark suppliers, model costs, challenge assumptions, and drive data-based decisions
  • Ability to influence cross-functionally (Engineering, Finance, Quality, Operations) and communicate effectively at all levels, including executive stakeholders
  • Demonstrated leadership capability with experience developing teams and building strong supplier relationships

Nice to have

  • Strong communication and negotiation skills as well as proven ability to work within team structure as an active participant and drive results through direct and indirect influence/collaboration
  • Ability to successful function in “fast-paced” ambiguous environment
  • Demonstrated capability of advancing further within the organization through track record of increasing responsibility and quantifiable results
  • APICS, ISM, PMP, Six Sigma certifications desired
  • Masters of Business Administration

What the JD emphasized

  • Enhanced understanding of emerging markets and technologies is required