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

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.