Category Manager

About the role

DroneShield is seeking a Category Manager to join its Sydney team, reporting to the Head of Procurement. The role ensures reliable, timely, and compliant supply for high‑tech manufacturing, balancing speed, resilience and commercial discipline.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies aligned to manufacturing demand, technology roadmaps and risk profiles.
• Identify supply risks, capacity constraints and single‑source exposure within the category.
• Lead supplier evaluation, selection and onboarding, assessing technical capability, quality, delivery performance, capacity, security and compliance.
• Own sourcing and negotiation activities through to contract award, ensuring contracts define scope, performance, pricing, risk allocation, IP protection and compliance.
• Manage ongoing supplier performance, resolve supply issues, drive corrective actions and continuous improvement.
• Enable early supplier involvement to support design‑for‑manufacture, cost reduction and innovation.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with defence, export control, security and ethical sourcing requirements.
• Track and report category KPIs, using data to identify improvement opportunities.

Required profile

• Experience in procurement or category management within manufacturing or regulated environments.
• Strong supplier negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Background in defence, aerospace, electronics or high‑tech manufacturing.
• Experience with contract manufacturers or critical component suppliers.
• Tertiary qualification in Supply Chain, Engineering or Business.