Director, Category Management, Foodservice GPO

JOB SUMMARY 

The Director, Category Management is responsible for setting the long-term category strategy, vision, and performance roadmap across key spend categories with up to $1B annual spend under management. The role drives value through strategic planning, supplier collaboration, market intelligence, and close alignment with internal stakeholders. As a senior leader within Global Procurement, this role leads cross-functional collaboration, provides strategic direction across a highly matrixed global environment, and maximizes Marriott’s global purchasing power while supporting supplier governance, financial performance, and risk mitigation. The ideal candidate will possess solid experience in category management, strategic sourcing, risk management and regulatory compliance. This individual must demonstrate exceptional category management and stakeholder management skills and have a proven track record of working in a geographically dispersed and highly matrixed environment. 

CANDIDATE PROFILE  

Education and Experience  

Required 

• BA/BS or commensurate work experience that demonstrates deep technical knowledge of category management and strategic sourcing. 

• 10+ years of business and/or procurement experience 

• Excellent project/program management skills and ability to independently manage multiple projects simultaneously 

• Strong analytical skills for planning, estimating, budgeting, and monitoring program/project work. 

• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex ideas in easy-to-understand business terms. 

• Ability to travel up to 25% 

Preferred 

• Experience in category management F&B category management, including food, distribution, F&B operating supplies and equipment,  

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES  

• Lead strategic Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) program strategy and implementation to drive value realization, compliance, and operational adoption across properties and managed portfolios. 

• Own and manage strategic Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) relationships, including governance, performance management, and continuous improvement. 

• Own category strategy, governance, and performance for assigned F&B categories, including food, distribution, F&B operating supplies and equipment, and related programs. 

• Serve as the strategic owner for GPO category direction, ensuring consistency, scalability, and alignment across brands, regions, and operating models. 

• Drive internal alignment and change management for F&B category and GPO initiatives, ensuring effective communication and stakeholder engagement. 

• Drive the implementation of best practices in distribution strategies, 

•  Establish category plans that address innovation, total cost of ownership (TCO), risk mitigation, sustainability, and portfolio optimization. 

• Provide supplier performance, capability, and market insights to enterprise partners in sourcing, quality, legal, finance, and sustainability 

• Support Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and long-term supplier and GPO development roadmaps. 

• Collaborate with Finance to model, track, and communicate value delivery and financial impact across F&B categories. 

• Ensure Food & Beverage category strategies align with ESG commitments, responsible sourcing standards, and supplier diversity objectives. 

• Drive analytics, performance measurement, and governance mechanisms across categories, including supplier onboarding, performance management, and contract compliance.