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Manage all sourcing activities and secure demanding and complex multi-tier sourcing arrangements, promoting Supplier Relationship Management and early supplier involvement.
Main tasks and responsibilities
- Lead the planning and execution of the category strategy across the entire spend to optimize use of resources over the E2E service/product lifecycle, addressing strategic commercial sourcing requirements, supplier preferencing, securing early focus on service and end-of-life requirements, supplier consolidation, and pipeline to secure continuity of supply and emerging business needs.
- Successful cross-functional leadership and participation in New Service/Product Development, Supplier Relationship Management (SRM), early supplier involvement and selection with technology development, productivity, total cost reduction make/buy programs, should-cost modelling, and business process and system implementation.
- Manage and improve supplier performance within the category using supplier development resources and QDCI balanced scorecard methodology to monitor and improve performance across key metrics.
- Identify, track, and implement cost-saving and compliance actions to meet year-on-year productivity and compliance targets for the category.
- RFQ preparation, analysis, and negotiation/business award according to delegation of authority.
- Develop open book costings, budgets, and service/raw material forecasting for the category.
- Collaborate with supply planning to support capacity planning and scalability/flexibility planning.
- Manage and regularly follow up on Design to Cost (DtC) and New Product Development (NPD) projects, securing Design for Manufacture inputs and strategic supplier early involvement.
- Identify and develop new service/manufacturing partners within BCC countries to support current and future business needs.
- Promote and secure participation in Supply Chain Finance programs.
- Define and achieve targets for Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Innovation in the category.
- Conduct market intelligence analysis to evaluate market and supplier/competitor trends, ensuring sourcing is based on best practice intelligence and market benchmarks.
- Execute strategies to increase capture rate and spare part revenues.
- Ensure the Category Sourcing team contributes to and utilizes leverage from business lines, supplier development, and other cross-functional teams through common category and vendor sustainability/risk management, as well as common tools and processes.
- Develop the Category Sourcing team through active leadership, mentoring, and performance development.
- Work closely with procurement teams across divisions, stakeholders, and suppliers relevant to the named category and supporting teams.
What you'll need to succeed
Education:
- Third-level degree and/or Master's degree in a relevant engineering or business discipline.
- Membership in relevant professional bodies (e.g., CIPS).
Experience:
- At least 7 years of relevant global industrial experience (e.g., truck, construction machines, mining, agriculture, or automotive).
- Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience in senior sourcing roles, including category management in an international and multi-site company.
- Experience working with large suppliers with global multi-site footprints and managing supplier relations and negotiations.
Competencies:
- Excellent knowledge of sourcing methods, category and supplier relationship management, contract negotiation, analytical skills, and legal/contractual knowledge in areas such as intellectual property.
- * Continuous improvement mindset with a business-driven, fact-based approach toward suppliers, focusing on building long-term relationships.
- Excellent communication, cooperation, and influencing skills when working with different senior-level roles internally and externally.
- Senior-level development and implementation of long-term business relationships and/or strategy in business or operations.
- Strong people management skills and experience, focusing on employee personal and professional development.
If you feel that you have the skills and experience required in this advertisement to be a Category Manager, please submit your CV including an outline of your experience as a Category Manager. It is always a good idea to include a covering letter outlining your experience as a Category Manager with your application, as this will enhance your chances of selection and improve your prospects of landing the role you desire.
