Regional Category Manager

About the role

The Regional Category Manager provides procurement category input to the Global Procurement Category Manager and develops or enhances local/regional procurement category strategies, working closely with segment and divisional business partners, operations and other key stakeholders to deploy strategies that drive value and sustainability in the GF supply chain.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements regional procurement category strategy in close alignment with the Global Procurement Category Manager (global categories) or Regional Head of Procurement (regional categories) and other Regional Procurement Category Managers
• Develops strong relationships and collaborates directly with internal stakeholders at all levels within the organization to understand requirements, manage buy‑in
• Conducts market analysis on a regional level
• Leads local and regional negotiations and manages supplier relationships with key suppliers
• Supports major claims on a regional level in close alignment with regional and global stakeholders
• Optimizes procurement category efficiency through product and process harmonization/automation acting in close alignment with the Global Procurement Category Manager and Head of Procurement Excellence
• Reports regular global/regional category results to the Global Procurement Category Manager
• Empowers procurement category teams in personnel and professional development
• Leads supplier management strategy including supplier development, supply base consolidation and risk mitigation, cost reduction roadmaps and implementation of supplier segmentation plan

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work experience
• 5‑10 years of procurement experience with at least 3 years in a category management role

Skills

• Analytical skills with the ability to use a structured approach to understand, analyze and solve complex problems/issues
• Strong written communication and excellent oral presentation skills, with the ability to present convincingly at senior levels
• Extensive leadership and communication skills, including aligning with global and regional procurement leaders, managing escalations, setting expectations and targets for sourcing managers, exchanging best practices, and managing supplier and internal customer relationships