Supplier Manager

Work Location Type: Hybrid Req Number  327039

About Grainger:

W.W. Grainger, Inc., is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products and solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. Known for its commitment to service and award-winning culture, the Company had 2024 revenue of $17.2 billion across its two business models. In the High-Touch Solutions segment, Grainger offers approximately 2 million maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and services, including technical support and inventory management. In the Endless Assortment segment, Zoro.com offers customers access to more than 14 million products, and MonotaRO.com offers more than 24 million products. For more information, visit www.grainger.com.

Compensation:

The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $103,600.00  to $172,600.00.

Rewards and Benefits

With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:

Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing. 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.

6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required. Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools. Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

For additional information and details regarding Grainger’s benefits, please click on the link below:

https://experience100.ehr.com/grainger/Home/Tools-Resources/Key-Resources/New-Hire

The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation.  The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.

The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above. Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.

Position Details The Supplier Manager owns the relationship with important suppliers across multiple product categories in the Grainger portfolio which range from $50-200M in annual cost. It requires product cost negotiation, develop strategic initiatives in partnership with suppliers, facilitate the communication with other teams like Merchandising, Sales, and Supply Chain, and document and share best practices for the rest of the Supplier Management team. You will report to a Senior Supplier Manager or Director of Supplier Management.

This is a hybrid position and will be based in Lake Forest or Chicago, IL 3 days a week.

You Will

• Develop a portfolio procurement strategy that connects Grainger's commercial strategy with the corresponding procurement support
• Perform industry research to understand the supplier landscape, important cost drivers, and primary procurement challenges
• Define best sources of supply for the business that meet customer needs, quality, and cost competitiveness
• Lead negotiations that ensure sustainable access to the best industrial products in the category with the best program economics
• Develop relationships with strategic suppliers at multiple levels, ensuring alignment in growth strategies, addressing challenges in operations on a timely manner, and making sure Grainger's customers' needs are met
• Develop strategies in collaboration with other functional areas of Grainger (e.g., product assortment decisions, inventory levels and product availability, lead times, and quality)
• Organize work meetings and field visits to suppliers and trade shows
• Facilitate product content and information gathering in partnership with the teams that support Grainger.com
• Collaborate with peers to document and share best practices across all categories and continuously improve how we work

You Have

Bachelor's Degree 5+ years business experience in either Product Management, Procurement, Supply Chain, Merchandising, or Consulting

Experience managing cost negotiation, managing contracts and/or executing procurement:

Analytical mindset, being able leverage large sets of data, analyze them, and obtain insights to inform decisions Project management and organization Curious and open to learn and navigate ambiguous scenarios Constant improvement and best practices mindset

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.