Sr. Category Manager - Digital

Company: Ace Hardware Corporation
Location: Oak Brook
Posted on: June 15, 2026

Job Description:

As the category and procurement leader for Ace's MarTech ecosystem, this role will oversee category management and optimization of marketing technology platforms that support digital engagement, analytics, personalization, and customer experience. The Manager will partner closely with Marketing, Digital, and IT teams to evaluate emerging technologies, negotiate contracts, ensure privacy compliant data handling, and maximize ROI across the MarTech stack.

What You'll Do

• Provide indirect leadership and cross functional influence, building trusted advisor relationships across Marketing, Digital, IT, Finance, Data Privacy, and Security teams.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to establish YOY targets and strategies to grow MarTech spend under management; track savings, avoidance, and rebates to ensure alignment with organizational goals
• Develop and manage governance structures and reporting frameworks for indirect MarTech spend
• Lead category initiatives with a defined strategy for the assigned categories. Ability to manage and develop team members, duties include: prioritizing projects based on influence, relationships, cost containment, and alignment with organizational objectives, while fostering their professional growth and development.
• Lead risk management activities for the assigned categories by identifying, assessing, and mitigating threats to Ace's capital and operational stability. Develop supplier risk profiles using market intelligence, competitive analysis, and supplier performance metrics to ensure proactive risk mitigation.
• Demonstrates the ability to adopt and apply AI enabled tools and intelligent agents to improve operational efficiency, productivity, and scalability across MarTech procurement activities.
• Develop performance metrics for suppliers within the assigned categories, accurately forecast, measure, and report ongoing program cost savings. Proactively refresh agreements mid-contract to leverage changing market conditions, align with performance SLAs and KPIs, and incorporate evolving corporate requirements.
• Consolidate diverse stakeholder requirements and develop market Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) events for the assigned categories. Design category-specific communication strategies, collaborate with stakeholders to create grading systems, and analyze results to make final recommendations that strengthen supplier relationships.
• Oversee end-to-end category management activities for the assigned categories, including conducting Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with suppliers to evaluate performance and identify areas for improvement. Create contract management matrices and design performance scorecards to monitor critical elements such as savings, avoidance, and supplier expertise.
• Communicate the effectiveness of governance performance, trends, benefits, and future directions for the assigned categories to both local and executive-level stakeholders. Develop and deliver corporate-wide updates and supplier communications to ensure alignment with organizational objectives and performance standards.
• Engage with internal customers to gather feedback on supplier performance, program delivery, and areas for improvement for the assigned categories. Refine deliverables and align supplier actions to meet evolving customer needs and performance expectations.

Who You Are

You bring deep experience in procurement and digital technology categories, with strong ability to influence, anticipate supplier and market dynamics, and manage high complexity projects with minimal oversight. You thrive in fast moving, cross functional environments and enjoy partnering across Marketing, Digital, and IT teams to drive measurable results.

Required Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Finance, or a related field is required; an MBA is preferred. Professional certifications such as CIPS or APICS are strongly encouraged.
• Minimum of 7+ years of progressive experience in category management, procurement, or related roles, with a proven track record of leadership in managing complex categories.
• Demonstrated experience in people management, with the ability to develop and mentor talent and lead cross-functional initiatives.
• Advanced strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to create long-range sourcing plans, drive category strategies, and align with organizational goals.
• Strong communication and relationship management skills, with the ability to influence executive-level stakeholders and build trusted advisor relationships.
• Exceptional negotiation skills, maximizing value while minimizing risks through complex contract negotiations and supplier performance management.
• Extensive experience in developing and executing innovative sourcing methodologies, risk mitigation strategies, and best practices that optimize value and ensure alignment with business objectives.
• Deep knowledge of supplier management, with the ability to define service level expectations, assess supplier communities, and proactively identify new sourcing opportunities.
• Proficient in collecting, analyzing, and integrating data using advanced productivity tools and sourcing systems, including E-Sourcing and Contracts Management platforms.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite, with expertise in PowerPoint, Word, and Excel for presentations, reporting, and data analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage competing priorities, lead high-complexity projects, and execute both strategic and tactical procurement activities with minimal supervision.
• Proven success in delivering measurable results, including cost savings, risk reduction, and supplier performance improvements, through effective category management and cross-functional collaboration.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with privacy and data regulations (CCPA, GDPR)
• Familiarity with MarTech stack architecture and integration considerations

Compensation Details:

$137700 - $165000 per year

Why should you join our team?

We live our values - W.E.L.I.G.H.T (Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork). Gratitude. Humility. Love. You don't often see values like these in most corporate statements, but Ace is different. These things are important to us. They represent our commitment to the company, our employees, to Ace retailers and to the Ace brand.

In addition to providing our employees a great culture, Ace also offers competitive benefits that address life's necessities and perks, many of which expand and improve year after year, including:

• Incentive opportunities, based on role/grade level (company growth over the past 5 years resulted in incentives being paid out at an average of 122% of your target opportunity!)
• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year in addition to quarterly contributions and annual discretionary contribution (once eligibility requirements have been met). Over the past 5 years, company contributions (matching, quarterly & discretionary) for fully eligible employees have averaged 10% of total eligible compensation
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability - up to 26 weeks short-term disability and long-term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
• 21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year) and up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire
• Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field-based positions
• Your career at Ace is more than just a job. It's a chance to be part of something meaningful. We help locally-owned businesses thrive and make an impact in their communities - and we support our employees in doing the same by offering an annual Ace Cares Week, 20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice, opportunities to help Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
• Ace invests in every employee we hire, with a key focus on development and coaching. We offer on-site classes, facilitator-led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program, plus a performance management approach that goes beyond the typical annual review
• We know the work environment matters. That's why Ace holds frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales
• We bring them to you! Services such as mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling and more!
• Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and thousands more

• Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
• Adoption cost reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
• Identity theft protection

Benefits are provided in compliance with applicable policies.

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When most people think of career opportunities with Ace Hardware, they often think of the helpful cashiers and sales associates at their local store . click apply for full job details

Keywords: Ace Hardware Corporation, Crystal Lake , Sr. Category Manager - Digital, IT / Software / Systems , Oak Brook, Illinois

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