Category Associate — NPI & Sustaining Sourcing
The Category Associate supports sourcing activities for new product development and engineering changes within the Strategic Supply Chain team. This entry-level role involves coordinating with engineering, suppliers, and cross-functional teams to ensure timely sourcing and availability of components for prototypes and production. The position offers foundational experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, and supply chain processes in a manufacturing environment.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Engineering.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
Position overview
The Confidential Client is hiring a Category Associate — NPI & Sustaining Sourcing for their Greenville, WI location. This is an entry-level Strategic Supply Chain / Sourcing role focused on supporting sourcing for new product introduction (NPI), engineering changes, and production readiness. The role works cross-functionally with Engineering, Program Management, Operations, Category Management, Purchasing, and suppliers.
- Pay range: $57,600 – $90,400 (USD) — actual pay will be determined based on experience, skills, and internal equity.
- Employment type: Full-time (with contract engagement possibilities)
- Travel: Ability to travel 10–20%
What you’ll do
These responsibilities illustrate core expectations; additional duties may be assigned.
- Review Engineering Change Notices (ECNs) and identify sourcing implications, ERP update needs, and potential supply chain impacts.
- Support Requests for Quotation (RFQs): prepare, issue, collect supplier responses, compare quotes, and summarize information for supplier selection.
- Coordinate technical communication between Engineering and suppliers to clarify drawings, specifications, and manufacturability questions.
- Assist sourcing activities for components requiring capital tooling or non-recurring engineering (NRE): gather quotes, coordinate reviews, and support purchasing/commercial tasks.
- Monitor supplier lead times and sourcing milestones; flag risks or delays that could impact prototypes, development, or production.
- Partner with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Program Management, Category Management, Purchasing, and suppliers to support product introductions.
- Maintain sourcing documentation, track open actions, and communicate status, issues, and risks to stakeholders.
- Build working knowledge of Category Management strategies, supplier capabilities, and ERP systems.
- Identify opportunities to improve sourcing workflows, data accuracy, or tools and support implementation of improvements.
- Maintain accurate supplier, sourcing, and component records in applicable systems.
Minimum qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Ability to travel 10–20%.
Standout qualifications (preferred)
- Internship or prior experience in supply chain or sourcing.
- Category sourcing experience in a manufacturing environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Team-oriented with ability to work cross-functionally.
- Excellent organization, follow-through, and attention to detail.
- Strong time-management and prioritization skills; ability to handle changing requirements.
- Proficiency with web-based applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
- Comfort learning ERP and sourcing systems.
Why this role (what you’ll gain)
- Hands-on experience across the strategic sourcing lifecycle for NPI and sustaining components.
- Cross-functional exposure to Engineering, Purchasing, Operations, and Supplier Management.
- Opportunity to develop supplier negotiation and RFQ management skills early in your career.
- Competitive pay range and a people-first work environment with opportunities for growth.
Location & compliance
- Work location: Greenville, WI (On-site/Hybrid as defined by the Confidential Client).
- This posting follows applicable U.S. hiring laws. The Confidential Client provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities; applicants who need assistance should contact the employer as directed in the applicant process.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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