Vice President Category Management (Direct Categories)

Vice President Category Management

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work in a place full of excitement, diversity, and entertainment? Are you enthusiastic about being a team player in one of the most fascinating industries in the world? At MGM Resorts, we seek individuals like YOU to create unique and show-stopping experiences for our guests.

The Vice President Category Management (Direct Categories) is a key strategic leader responsible for developing and executing the category strategies for all direct spend categories, including beverage, food, OS&E (Operating Supplies & Equipment), grocery, distribution and hospitality. This role drives value creation by leveraging market intelligence, supplier innovation, and cross-functional collaboration to optimize cost, quality, and supply chain resiliency.

These executive leads category management teams to deliver sustainable, competitive advantage by aligning category strategies with business objectives and customer needs, while ensuring best-in-class supplier partnerships and category performance.

The day-to-day responsibilities include :

• Leading enterprise-wide category management across $900M+ in spend and 1,700 suppliers covering Beverage, Food, OS&E, Grocery & Distribution, and Hospitality. Defines and executes comprehensive category strategies that optimize total cost of ownership, drive innovation, mitigate risk, and enhance supplier ecosystem value.
• Partnering cross-functionally with Sourcing, Operations, Marketing, Finance, and Quality Assurance to align strategies with business objectives, operational needs, and financial goals.
• Building and maintaining strategic supplier relationships that foster collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement while advancing sustainability, diversity, and ESG initiatives.
• Overseeing contract negotiation strategies in partnership with sourcing and legal teams to ensure competitive terms and risk mitigation. Monitoring supplier performance through KPIs, implementing corrective actions when needed.
• Leading and developing a high-performing team of category managers and analysts, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and customer focus. Providing leadership development, setting clear performance objectives, and executing succession planning to sustain organizational excellence.
• Driving year-over-year cost efficiencies, elevating spend under management, and ensuring category strategies support company-wide goals for growth, value creation, and operational excellence.

The ideal candidate holds a bachelor's degree in supply chain management, Business Administration, or a related field, with 12+ years of progressive category management experience in large, complex organizations.

They excel in leading F&B, alcohol, and indirect categories, driving enterprise-wide cost savings, innovation, and supplier performance. Skilled in vendor management, contract negotiations, and RFP execution, they ensure compliance and deliver measurable value.

A collaborative leader, they build strong stakeholder and supplier relationships, foster a culture of ownership and transparency, and ensure the right products reach the right locations at the right time. They continuously drive efficiency, innovation, and strategic growth across all categories.

The perks and benefits include :