Senior Category Manager

The Senior Category Manager for the EMEA will be responsible for leading value generation, sourcing, and profitability improvement initiatives of corporate goods and services.

This role requires a strategic thinker with strong negotiation skills, an analytical mindset, and the ability to build effective relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders. Success will be measured on spend addressed, savings achieved, and working capital impact. The central challenge of the position is to capture value from indirect spend categories while meeting key business objectives such as service, quality, timing, and security of supply.  

 Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement global sourcing strategies for indirect commodities across the Performance Solutions division, ensuring alignment with business objectives.

• Lead end-to-end vendor management, including contract negotiation, supplier selection, performance evaluation, and stakeholder engagement.

• Identify and drive profit improvement initiatives beyond sourcing, such as demand management, insourcing vs. outsourcing decisions, and operational efficiencies.

• Conduct market research to evaluate new suppliers, industry trends, and innovative products or technologies.

• Plan and manage RFx processes and leverage eSourcing tools to optimize procurement outcomes and contract management.

• Establish, maintain, and renew global and regional contracts that safeguard company interests and drive cost savings.

• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships to ensure continuous performance improvement and alignment with company goals.

• Utilize KPIs and data analysis to proactively monitor supplier performance, mitigate risks, and resolve issues collaboratively.

• Collaborate with internal teams to forecast procurement needs, align sourcing strategies, and support project execution.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives through best practices, change management, and effective use of procurement technology and reporting tools.

What will make you successful

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Purchasing, Business Administration, or related field; MBA or certifications such as CPM or CPSM preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in commodity or procurement management roles, preferably managing corporate services and indirect spend categories globally.
• Proven expertise in multi-step strategic sourcing processes and supplier management on a global scale.
• Strong knowledge of supplier markets, industry trends, and procurement best practices.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of an organization.
• Skilled negotiator with a strong understanding of contract terms, risk management, and commercial strategy.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Highly organized and able to manage competing priorities independently and within cross-functional teams.
• Experience leading change and influencing major commercial decisions among diverse internal stakeholders.
• Proficient in procurement software and Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) to support analysis and reporting.

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