Alternate Terms: Category Management, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Selection

Manufacturer of Premium Chocolates

Led RFP process to identify and select a 3PL partner to provide contract packaging, warehousing and TL / LTL transportation services for North America. Evaluated over 100 potential candidates. Ultimately selected an East Coast based 3PL provider with specialized expertise in confectionery packaging, warehousing and transportation.

Leading Medical Device Provider

Served as Interim IT Category Manager. Led RFP process to select preferred providers for all global IT hardware needs (laptops, desktops, peripherals, servers, storage and networking). Reduced annual IT hardware spend by over $2.0M (24%). Negotiated data center contract renewal that reduced data center spend by $270K (43%) annually.

Rapidly Growing Organic Meat and Poultry Producer

Led process to identify and select 3PL partner to provide cold storage warehousing and order fulfillment services for the CA market. Evaluated over 100 potential locations. Ultimately selected provider in the San Francisco Bay area. Evaluated carriers to provide TL / LTL transportation services.

Helped client evaluate various ERP tools (Oracle NetSuite, JustFood) and select provider to implement chosen package. Defined detailed future state S&OP requirements, and evaluated various package capabilities (Blue Ridge, Kinaxis, Adexa, DemandCaster, JustFood) to meet these needs.

Leading Manufacturer of Sports Equipment and Apparel

Served as subject matter expert on demand / supply planning software selection project. Led development of business requirements and demonstration scripts. Provided detailed feedback on vendor selection criteria, desired proposal pricing format and additional ways to improve RFP. Led questioning during vendor demonstrations and identified key differentiators among SAP APO, JDA (now Blue Yonder) and Logility packages considered. Helped client reach consensus on preferred package.

Leading US Food and Drug Retailer

Led effort to select next generation Warehouse Management System (WMS) for use at company’s 25+ DCs (average facility size exceeds 750K sq. ft.). Developed selection criteria and evaluated packages (Manhattan Associates, RedPrairie / Blue Yonder, Infor, and HighJump) versus 900+ factors in the areas of functionality, technology and risk. Estimated timing and resource requirements for package implementation, and presented findings / recommendations to executive management.

Leading North American Provider of Repair and Maintenance Services for Electric Motors and Generators

Identified four procurement opportunities that will generate $3.2M+ in annual margin improvement. Kicked-off project that will generate largest margin increase (centralize coil set procurement). Developed RFQ for use on second largest project opportunity (strategically source medium voltage coil sets).

North America’s Leading Provider of Visual Marketing Products

Identified 20+ projects that will generate $3.3M in annual savings. For highest impact projects, identified benefits, effort, resource requirements and estimated project timing. Developed RFP for use on largest savings opportunity (strategically source SBS and TMP paperboard).

Leading Provider of Global Lottery and Casino Gaming Equipment / Services

Served as supply chain subject matter expert for the merger integration of a leading manufacturer of casino gaming machines into organization. Performed comprehensive spend analysis for combined organizations. Identified $480M+ in addressable indirect spend across 28 categories, ~20% of which was with common vendors. Identified opportunities to reduce inbound / outbound transportation expense by $4M -$7M annually, including ~$2 M in small parcel savings.

Leading National Health Care Provider

Served as Interim Director of Supply Chain Operations for Southern CA. Managed supply chain supporting 13 hospitals and 145 medical clinics. Responsible for management of internal / external regional courier activity, 480+ vehicle fleet, 100K sq. ft. records retention facility and print services. Led staff of 165+ employees with an operating budget exceeding $30M annually.

Reduced transportation spend by over $400K through improved routing and renegotiation with existing vendors. Identified opportunity to reduce freight expense by $2.1M through implementation of route optimization software and conversion from external to internal couriers. Participated in sourcing of courier services, fuel and vehicle maintenance services, parking and shuttle services and document storage categories.

Conducted current state assessment of procurement capabilities (strategic procurement, supplier relationship management, procure-to-pay and demand management). Identified gaps in processes, organization and tools versus leading practices.

Fortune 500 Manufacturer of Office and Consumer Products

Assessed company’s direct procurement activities supporting innovation. Identified process, organization and IT gaps in internal engagement, supplier relationship management (SRM), category management and strategic sourcing activities versus leading practices. Implemented cross-functional process and organization improvements that will reduce time to market, foster increased competition among suppliers and improve company’s “customer of choice” status.

Assisted procurement group with day-to-day sourcing responsibilities. Categories sourced include specialty paper and various purchased office products manufactured in China (binders, dividers, sheet protectors, desk accessories, journals, notebooks, planners, calendars, file folders, accordion files and pockets).

Regional Supply Network of Not-For-Profit Health Care Providers

Served as program manager on effort to identify ways to increase supply network value outside traditional areas of sourcing and contracting. Led steering committee through initiative evaluation process. Assessed over 85 potential projects. Developed initiative profiles (including projected business cases) and prioritized finalists. Gained organizational approval and secured funding for moving forward with seven projects.

Initiated program implementation by identifying and securing required program, initiative and member resources, establishing project status reporting, gaining organization alignment on member participation requirements and scripting member communications. Participated in supplier selection and contract negotiation efforts for two pharmacy initiatives. Seven projects are expected to generate over $75M in member savings and $2.3M – $5.0M in supply network revenue annually.

Leading National Health Care Provider

Assessed company’s procurement capabilities for IT categories (hardware, software, telecom and consulting services) and identified gaps versus leading practices. Performed total company spend analysis. Identified ways to reduce $950M spend by over $50M annually through application of strategic sourcing concepts.

Fortune 100 Provider of Networking Hardware / Software

Led team that evaluated company’s indirect procurement activities (total spend = $5.8B). Facilitated development of future state process design that provides foundation for implementing strategic sourcing at firm. Savings potential exceeds $325M annually.

Custom Sheet Metal Fabricator of Precision Parts for Aerospace, Defense and Medical Equipment Industries

Identified and kicked-off implementation of a series of initiatives that will reduce past due order backlog by over $600K (90% reduction). Initiated improvements in the areas of customer and order management, manufacturing and inventory strategy, use of production scheduling and MRP tools, and strategic sourcing. Determined that raw materials could be reduced by 61% and finished goods by 91% without negatively impacting service.

Leading Supplier of High Impact Decorative Labels

Identified procurement, logistics, R&D and engineering savings opportunities as part of due diligence effort.

Leading Global Manufacturer of Pool and Spa Products

Identified procurement and logistics savings opportunities as part of due diligence effort.

Leading Provider of Fitness and Weight Loss Solutions

Performed assessment of company’s largest supplement product to determine ability of supply chain to support a quadrupling in sales over the next 24 months. Areas evaluated included product formulation, quality assurance, sourcing, demand planning, sales and operations planning (S&OP), inventory management, supply planning, purchasing, contract manufacturing, inbound / outbound transportation and warehouse management. Identified, prioritized and initiated implementation of a portfolio of 25+ projects that will enable organization to meet 98% on-time delivery target, reduce costs by over $500K annually, and expand as planned.

Leading National Health Care Provider

Transformed supply chain supporting organization’s Northern CA network of 16 regional hospitals. Implemented strategic sourcing initiative, which included shifting the bulk of medical supply purchases from 1000+ suppliers to a single distributor, and bypassing the provider’s regional distribution center. Changes resulted in a $7M (22%) decrease in annual distribution expenses, $11M (45%) reduction in inventory, and improved service. Led implementation of inventory management improvements at a pilot facility, resulting in a 69% inventory reduction.

Multinational Food Ingredients Manufacturer

Assessed company’s demand / supply planning, transportation, order management, procurement and manufacturing operations. Identified process, organization and IT gaps versus leading practices. Confirmed need for demand / supply planning APS software tool, and developed short list of recommended vendors.

Leading Provider of Customized Shelf-Edge Communications and Specialized Marketing Services for the Retail Industry

Identified procurement savings opportunities as part of due diligence effort.