Sr. Category Manager - Handmade Cigars

Senior Category Manager, Handmade Cigars, Bethlehem, PA / Category Management

• Location: Bethlehem, PA
• Working hours: Full-time
• Work model: Hybrid
• Contract type / duration: Direct Hire

Are you a commercially minded category management professional who thrives on driving growth, profitability, and supplier performance? Do you want to shape the future of a strategic product category while building strong supplier partnerships and delivering measurable business results? Then you might be the person we are looking for.

As our new Senior Category Manager, Handmade Cigars, you will play a critical role in leading our Handmade Cigars category and driving long-term business value. You will work closely with Commercial, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, and supplier partners to develop and execute category strategies that enhance growth, profitability, innovation, supply reliability, and competitive differentiation. This is a unique opportunity to own a strategic category and directly influence business performance within an international organization.

What your day will look like

Category Strategy & Supplier Portfolio Management

• Develop and execute long-term category and supplier strategies that balance revenue growth, profitability, inventory efficiency, supply continuity, and competitive differentiation.
• Build strategic supplier partnerships and executive-level relationships to improve collaboration, performance, and risk management.
• Lead supplier segmentation, risk assessments, and business reviews to ensure alignment with business objectives.
• Govern product allocation decisions, including make-versus-buy analysis, insourcing opportunities, new product introductions, and portfolio rationalization initiatives.

Strategic Sourcing, Contracting & Cost Optimization

• Lead strategic sourcing initiatives, supplier negotiations, and contract management activities.
• Establish supplier agreements, rebate programs, performance incentives, and service-level commitments that deliver measurable financial value.
• Identify and implement initiatives that optimize total cost of ownership, working capital, and procurement effectiveness.

Supplier Performance & Supply Reliability

• Define and manage supplier performance metrics including fill rates, on-time delivery, lead-time compliance, allocation adherence, quality performance, and responsiveness.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on service levels, forecast accuracy, product availability, and supply reliability.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Inventory Planning teams to proactively mitigate supply risks and improve business continuity.

Procurement Excellence & Governance

• Establish scalable procurement processes, governance frameworks, contracting standards, and sourcing playbooks.
• Implement supplier scorecards and business review processes to improve supplier accountability and performance.
• Champion procurement best practices and data-driven decision-making across stakeholder groups.

Commercial Analytics & Business Performance

• Leverage market intelligence, supplier performance data, financial analysis, and consumer insights to identify growth and savings opportunities.
• Translate complex commercial and operational data into actionable recommendations and business cases with measurable impact.

What Success Looks Like (12-24 Months)

• Deliver annual value creation equal to 3-5% of addressable spend.
• Improve category gross margin through sourcing initiatives.
• Establish strategic business plans with all key suppliers.
• Deliver a supplier-led innovation pipeline and measurable growth opportunities.
• Improve supplier service levels.
• Become a trusted advisor to Commercial, Finance, and Operations leadership.

What you'll bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in Category Management, Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, or Commercial Management.
• Experience within premium consumer goods, tobacco, beverage, spirits, food, or specialty retail industries, preferably in omnichannel environments.
• Demonstrated success driving sales growth, profitability, service-level improvements, and market share within consumable B2C and B2B categories.
• Strong negotiation, financial analysis, stakeholder management, and supplier relationship management skills.
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams and deliver measurable business results.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certifications such as CPSM, CPM, CIPS, or equivalent.

Key Competencies

• Commercial acumen
• Strategic thinking
• Negotiation and influence
• Supplier relationship management
• Financial and analytical skills
• Category growth mindset
• Executive presence
• Results orientation

Working at STG & What to expect

At Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG), we are so much more than what meets the eye. We combine the strength of global brands with the entrepreneurial mindset that allows people to make a real impact. Here you'll have the opportunity to grow your career, collaborate across borders, and help shape what's next. At STG you'll find more than a role. You'll find opportunities to grow, collaborate across borders, and make a meaningful impact.

Incentives and Benefits: The salary package may include short-term and/or long-term incentives as well as other employee benefits based on position level, location, functional area, and relevant market benchmarks.

What's in an offer

As a colleague at Scandinavian Tobacco Group, you will receive comprehensive compensation and benefits package, including:

• Comprehensive Health Care, Vision & Dental Plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Disability Plans
• Basic & Supplemental Life Insurance
• Additional Supplemental Benefits
• Paid Vacation, Paid Time Off (PTO), and Holidays
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan including a generous company match

Ready to be part of something bigger? Apply now and discover much more.

Scandinavian Tobacco Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Our company uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

Please be informed that this Direct Search is conducted exclusively by Scandinavian Tobacco Group. We do not accept applications from agencies, and we will not provide compensation for unsolicited CVs.