Sr. Category Manager, Packaging, Global Procurement Operations (GPO)

Amazon is hiring a Sr. Category Manager, Packaging, Global Procurement Operations (GPO) in Irvine, United States. It pays $86k-$129k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Amazon.

Level's read on this job

Little AI ●○○○ is how Level rates this role: aI is not part of the work.
The posting mentions Supplier Performance Dashboards, strategic sourcing and category management among its tools and skills.
Level classes it as a senior role.
Amazon has 21,000+ other open roles on Level.

AI in this role

Manages strategic sourcing and category strategies for the Pallets Program across North America and Europe.

supplier-performance-dashboards

strategic-sourcingcategory-managementsupplier-relationship-managementcontract-negotiation

At Amazon, we're working to be the most customer-centric company on earth, and we need exceptionally talented, bright, and driven people to get there. We are seeking a Category Manager to own and strategically source for Amazon's Pallets Program across North America and Europe — a multi-region category representing significant annual spend and a critical input to the reliability of Amazon's fulfillment and logistics network.

The person in this role will develop and execute category sourcing strategies, deliver cost savings and productivity improvements, and manage a portfolio of pallet suppliers across two regions. You will interact with important suppliers, coordinate across operations, finance, and supply chain teams, and translate business requirements into sourcing outcomes. The ideal candidate is a self-starter and a creative, critical thinker who is comfortable operating independently in an ambiguous, fast-changing environment. You must be an effective communicator able to partner credibly with stakeholders at every level.

Key job responsibilities
Establish category sourcing strategies for the Pallets Program; lead cross-functional sourcing teams, negotiate with suppliers, and execute contracts to optimize Amazon's competitive position across NA and EU
Drive supplier relationships with the objective of achieving the optimal total cost of ownership, supported by a culture of continuous improvement and performance benchmarking
Proactively identify, monitor, and optimize category opportunities across both regions
Act as a market intelligence provider for the pallets category; anticipate strategic opportunities and keep key stakeholders informed
Lead Supplier Relationship Management activities to mitigate risk, improve performance, and add value to Amazon — including sustainability levers such as reusable/returnable pallet programs
Identify, achieve, and report on savings and value targets for category sourcing activities
Align with internal customers and understand the business application of the category

Earn the trust of key stakeholders to drive alignment with the business
Create a unified, comprehensive category strategy in conjunction with internal customers
Achieve yearly cost-savings / value targets aligned with annual budget processes
Define and report on key metrics measuring supply effectiveness and cost savings
Champion standards and process improvements

A day in the life
You start by reviewing supplier performance dashboards and open risk items across your NA and EU pallet suppliers. You join a sourcing-strategy working session with Operations and Finance, then prepare for an upcoming tender — aligning requirements with internal customers. In the afternoon you negotiate contract terms with a key supplier, update your savings tracker, and draft a short narrative on a reusable-pallet opportunity. You close the day flagging a supply-continuity risk and the mitigation plan to stakeholders.

About the team
GRIT2 — Grocery, Receiving, Inventory, and Tier 2 — is the Global Procurement Operations team that sources the non-inventory supplies and services keeping Amazon's fulfillment and grocery logistics networks running. We operate across North America and Europe, spanning pallets, cross-dock, Tier 2 supplier programs, and Amazon Grocery Logistics. We think of ourselves as a strategic partner, not a reactive buying desk: we design end-to-end solutions across the supply chain, dive deep on data, and earn trust with senior leaders and suppliers alike. We value ownership, bias for action, continuous improvement, and sustainability built into every sourcing decision.

Basic qualifications

- 3+ years of program or project management experience
- 3+ years of working cross functionally with tech and non-tech teams experience
- 3+ years of defining and implementing process improvement initiatives using data and metrics experience
- 2+ years of supply chain experience
- Bachelor's degree
- Knowledge of Excel (Pivot Tables, VLookUps) at an advanced level and SQL
- Experience defining program requirements and using data and metrics to determine improvements

Preferred qualifications

- 3+ years of driving end to end delivery, and communicating results to senior leadership experience
- 3+ years of driving process improvements experience
- Experience in stakeholder management, dealing with multiple stakeholders at varied levels of the organization
- Experience building processes, project management, and schedules

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, CA, Irvine - 85,800.00 - 128,600.00 USD annually
USA, TN, Nashville - 77,200.00 - 115,800.00 USD annually
USA, TX, Houston - 85,800.00 - 128,600.00 USD annually
USA, VA, Arlington - 85,800.00 - 128,600.00 USD annually
USA, WA, Bellevue - 85,800.00 - 128,600.00 USD annually

How we rate this

Sr. Category Manager, Packaging, Global Procurement Operations (GPO) at Amazon rates 0 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Key facts

Sr. Category Manager, Packaging, Global Procurement Operations (GPO) is an open job at Amazon.
Level rates this role AI Level 1 of 4: Little AI.
The listed salary is $86k-$129k a year.
The role is based in US, CA, Irvine.
The job was posted on October 7, 2026.
Seniority: senior.
Applications are handled by Amazon. Apply on Amazon

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Strategic SourcingCategory ManagementSupplier Relationship ManagementContract NegotiationSupplier Performance Dashboards

Questions you could be asked

Tell me about a project where strategic sourcing was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where category management was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where supplier relationship management was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where contract negotiation was part of your work. What did you do?
Walk me through how you've used Supplier Performance Dashboards in your day-to-day work.

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: Strategic Sourcing, Category Management, Supplier Relationship Management, Contract Negotiation, and Supplier Performance Dashboards. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.

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