Global Category Manager's. Handbook: Building a category strategy that delivers sustainable value

Be the CEO of your category!

Are you a new procurement or category manager wanting to learn an overall framework for developing and implementing category strategies that stakeholders will embrace? Or an experienced procurement professional wanting to learn where you can improve your approach and raise your category strategy development and implementation to the next level? Are you a forward-looking procurement leader needing a playbook focused on coaching your team?

If you answered yes to any of the three questions, The Global Category Manager’s Handbook could help you!

Whether you are a new or experienced procurement professional/category manager, the process outlined is proven around the globe across a wide range of companies, industries, and categories. The 5-step process includes business strategy development tools and the practical application of these tools arranged in a logical sequence designed to help you become a better category manager and, in turn, accelerate your professional development.

Category management in procurement involves managing a category of spend by engaging key stakeholders, evaluating business requirements and suppliers, and creating and implementing a strategy that maximizes the category’s value for the company. Category management enables a company to manage spend more effectively and realize millions of dollars in lost value by improving stakeholder and procurement collaboration. Value realization is not about buying the lowest price, it includes improvements in supply assurance, increased quality, service improvements, decreased total cost, access to supplier innovations, and verification of ethical compliance and sustainability.

Category strategy development and approval is the process of engaging the stakeholders for a category, analyzing their needs versus the supply base’s capabilities, and developing a strategy to maximize value. Strategy value realization and supplier management are the processes to refine and hone the supply base and its capabilities and deliver the value promised in the strategy.

Creating and implementing a successful category strategy will demonstrate your capabilities and show the stakeholders and suppliers that you are worthy of being the CEO of the category by:

1. Creating a cross-functional team of stakeholders and building their readiness and desire for change.

2. Helping stakeholders see what is possible and preparing them for the future journey.

3. Developing and implementing a compelling, value maximizing category strategy that meets the current and future business needs.

4. Ensuring the strategy's improved process is followed and preventing slippage into old and less optimal habits of working and buying.

Strategy development and implementation processes apply to all spending or consumption of company resources. Learning and applying these tools in your role as category manager will ensure success in your current and future roles in any business. Understanding the strategy development process is applicable regardless of your role in procurement or business. The tools and approaches in this book will help you achieve these goals.