Global Category Manager — Infrastructure & Construction

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Global Category Manager Infrastructure & Construction
Global Sourcing & Procurement (GSP) Global Category & Sourcing
Applied Materials Internal Draft Job Description
Role Summary
The Global Category Manager Infrastructure & Construction is the strategic owner of Applieds capital construction real estate and facilities spend accountable for defining the global category strategy and delivering outcomes across value capture stakeholder experience and risk management. This role owns the sourcing and supplier strategy for the categories that build and sustain Applieds fabs labs cleanrooms offices and site infrastructure including general construction engineering & design (A&E) construction management (CM/PM/QS) EPC/PMC delivery partners MRO and tool install.
The role sets direction (the WHAT) through category strategies supplier portfolio and segmentation decisions delivery-model selection governance and demand/value roadmaps while enabling scaled execution (the HOW) through Strategic Sourcing Managers and the Sourcing Center of Excellence (SCoE). Operating in a center led one house model the Global Category Manager orchestrates cross functional alignment across Global Workplace & Infrastructure (GWI) project delivery teams Legal Risk and Finance ensuring consistent global standards with regional nuance across EMEA APAC and the Americas.
Role at a Glance
Job Title Global Category Manager Infrastructure & Construction
Organization Global Sourcing & Procurement (GSP) Global Category & Sourcing
Reports To Category Leader / Portfolio Leader Real Estate & Construction (per org design)
Primary Purpose Own the category strategy delivery-model approach supplier portfolio governance and outcome delivery for infrastructure and construction spend across the enterprise.
Category Scope General construction; engineering & design (A&E); construction/project/cost management (CM/PM/QS); EPC and PMC delivery partners; facilities CapEx and OpEx; MRO; tool install and fit-out.
Primary Interfaces GWI / Real Estate & Facilities leaders Project Delivery & Engineering teams Strategic Sourcing Managers SCoE Leaders GC/EPC/PMC supplier executives Finance (Value Capture) Risk/TPRM & Insurance Contracting CoE/Legal.
Operating Model Category defines strategy delivery model and guardrails; Sourcing executes and refines through data/insights; one unified global team.
Geographic Reach Global major capital programs across EMEA APAC (India Korea Singapore) and the Americas; significant international travel expected.
Mission Alignment (GSP Definition of Winning)
Value Capture: establish multi year value levers (savings cost avoidance value engineering productivity schedule certainty) across capital programs and deliver results through a governed pipeline and rate-card discipline.
Client Journey: build proactive engagement models with project delivery GWI and business stakeholders through clear intake delivery-model selection and predictable governance from concept through close-out.
Risk Management: embed construction contractual safety and supply-market risk thinking into category strategies delivery-model choices insurance/indemnity structures and contracting guardrails.
Optimize Capability: enable the organization through playbooks standard contract templates rate-card databases benchmarking and a talent pipeline that improves execution quality over time.
Key Responsibilities
1) Global Category Strategy & Roadmap Ownership
Define and maintain a multi year global category strategy for infrastructure and construction that aligns to Applieds capital plan GWI priorities and GSP goals including clear value levers delivery-model direction and execution waves.
Establish category scope and taxonomy across construction A&E CM/PM/QS services EPC/PMC MRO and tool install with a clear demand/supply perspective (project pipeline capacity and construction-market dynamics by region).
Develop and refresh a category roadmap that sequences initiatives by capital-program impact urgency risk and market capacity maintaining a forward looking pipeline tied to the project portfolio.
2) Delivery-Model Strategy (EPC / PMC / Design-Bid-Build)
Own the framework for selecting the right delivery model per project EPC PMC design-build design-bid-build or hybrid balancing cost certainty schedule risk transfer and Applieds control requirements.
Provide guidance on lump-sum vs. reimbursable vs. GMP commercial structures and align delivery-model decisions with the appropriate risk allocation and price-adjustment mechanisms.
Partner with project delivery and engineering to bridge the ROM-to-BOM gap ensuring estimating maturity scope definition and contracting approach are aligned before commitment.
3) Supplier Portfolio Strategy Segmentation & SRM
Own supplier portfolio design and segmentation across GCs EPCs PMCs A&E firms and specialty trades (strategic preferred transactional) and define the engagement model for each segment.
Lead strategic supplier relationship management (SRM) for priority partners (e.g. major GCs EPC/PMC firms CM providers): performance innovation commercial governance and executive alignment.
Drive supplier rationalization prequalification standards and consolidation opportunities that improve leverage ensure delivery capacity and reduce total installed cost.
4) Business Partnership & Stakeholder Governance
Serve as a trusted advisor to GWI Real Estate and project delivery leadership; translate capital-program objectives into category strategies and sourcing priorities.
Lead category councils and governance forums (value/risk reviews supplier performance reviews delivery-model reviews) to drive decisions alignment and accountability across regions.
Set stakeholder engagement rhythms and communication standards so the construction sourcing experience is consistent and predictable across EMEA APAC and the Americas.
5) Value Capture Rate Cards & Financial Stewardship
Define and govern the category value pipeline (initiatives baselines assumptions milestones) and partner with Finance for validation and reporting.
Establish and maintain rate-card databases and benchmarking for PM/CM/QS and construction services across Asia Europe and the Americas to enable transparent defensible negotiations.
Drive value engineering should-cost modeling and total-installed-cost analysis; establish outcome metrics beyond savings (schedule certainty quality safety compliance risk reduction).
6) Risk Insurance & Compliance Integration
Integrate construction and supplier risk considerations into category plans including third party risk (TPRM) financial stability safety/EHS performance and capacity constraints.
Partner with Legal Risk/GIRM and Insurance on indemnity limitation of liability insurance requirements and price-adjustment mechanisms; ensure alignment between the contract and the project risk matrix.
Proactively monitor construction-market risks (labor materials permitting weather exposure) and translate signals into actions such as contract protections contingency and alternative sourcing.
7) Execution Orchestration Through Sourcing (One House Model)
Translate strategy into sourcing wave plans and clearly defined playbooks/guardrails for Strategic Sourcing Managers and SCoE teams executing RFPs prequalification and negotiations.
Oversee implementation progress and remove barriers; ensure efficient predictable handoffs between Category Sourcing project delivery and Contracting/Legal.
Continuously refine strategy based on project outcomes market feedback and data insights (strategy execution feedback loop).
8) Capability Building & Change Leadership
Champion standard contract templates prequalification standards rate cards and governance that reduce variability and improve speed and quality across the category.
Support the talent pipeline by coaching and developing Strategic Sourcing Managers and SCoE practitioners; enable role clarity and clear governance boundaries.
Lead change initiatives (process standardization supplier operating models digital procurement tools) and drive adoption across a globally distributed team.
Qualifications
Required
Bachelors degree in Business Supply Chain Engineering Construction Management Finance or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
Demonstrated category management leadership in construction capital projects real estate or facilities building and executing category strategies supplier segmentation and governance models.
Strong commercial expertise in construction contracting: negotiations delivery-model selection (EPC/PMC/design-build) indemnity and LOL insurance and total installed cost/value analysis.
Proven ability to lead in a global matrixed organization driving alignment across regions project delivery functions and senior stakeholders.
Experience integrating construction contractual safety and supply-market risk into supplier and category decisions.
Preferred
Experience sourcing for semiconductor high-tech or advanced-manufacturing facilities fabs labs cleanrooms and complex tool-install/fit-out environments.
Experience with major GC/EPC/PMC and A&E firms (e.g. Jacobs JLL Linesight and equivalent) and global construction supplier ecosystems.
Experience developing rate-card databases benchmarking and value-engineering programs across multiple regions.
Professional certifications (e.g. CPSM CIPS RICS PMP) and/or MBA/MS in a relevant discipline.
Core Competencies (What Great Looks Like)
Strategic thinking & roadmap design: turns the capital plan and construction-market dynamics into a clear category plan and sequence of work.
Business partnership: earns trust with GWI project delivery and executives; frames decisions trade offs and value in business language.
Commercial & contractual acumen: structures delivery models risk allocation and commercial terms that protect Applied while enabling delivery.
Analytical leadership: uses rate cards should-cost and benchmarking to prioritize challenge assumptions and quantify cost and non-cost value.
Governance discipline: establishes predictable cadences decision forums and clear role & responsibility boundaries across Category Sourcing and delivery.
Change leadership: drives adoption of standard ways of working and reinforces clarity of roles and handoffs.
Success Measures (Sample)
Category outcomes: delivered and validated value aligned to targets (savings cost avoidance value engineering and/or risk reduction) across capital programs.
Delivery certainty: improved schedule and cost predictability on major projects through the right delivery models and contracting approach.
Supplier performance: improved GC/EPC/PMC and A&E performance (quality safety service cost innovation relationship) and reduced critical risk exposure.
Pipeline health: forward-looking prioritized pipeline aligned to the capital plan with clear owners milestones and predictable execution cadence.
Operating model effectiveness: consistent strategy-to-execution flow and reduced rework/hand-off delays across Category Sourcing Contracting and project delivery.
About Applied Materials
Applied Materials is a global leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. Our expertise in modifying materials at atomic levels and on an industrial scale enables customers to transform possibilities into reality. At Applied Materials our innovations make possible the technology shaping the future.
About Global Sourcing & Procurement (GSP)
Global Sourcing & Procurement (GSP) is Applied Materials indirect procurement and extended workforce support function. We procure the goods services and extended workforce required for Applied to run and grow the company. GSP partners with stakeholders globally through sourcing contracting category and supplier management analytics and transactional procurement.
Standard Posting Notes (HR Alignment Needed)
This document is a functional job description draft; confirm grade/level location and exact HR/Legal posting language (EEO benefits travel expectations) prior to publication.
Apply the appropriate leveling rubric (career band/level) based on scope autonomy enterprise impact and people management expectations. Note significant international travel tied to global capital programs.
Appendix A Role Boundaries (Category vs. Sourcing vs. SCoE)
Global Category Manager: Defines WHAT to do category strategy delivery-model direction supplier portfolio & governance demand/value roadmap and outcome ownership.
Strategic Sourcing Manager: Defines HOW to implement plans sourcing wave plans prequalification negotiation approach and coaching/QA of execution.
Sourcing Center of Excellence (SCoE): Executes the strategy at scale repeatable sourcing delivery standards and consistent stakeholder experience

Additional Information

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For all sales roles the posted salary range is the Target Total Cash (TTC) range for the role which is the sum of base salary and target bonus amount at 100% goal achievement.

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