Global Category Manager ICT & Professional Services

As the Global D&T Category Manager within Heineken Global Procurement, you will be the strategic architect behind global technology spend. You will design, execute, and manage end-to-end sourcing strategies across the D&T ecosystem. Serving as a trusted business partner to senior stakeholders, you will drive digital transformation, optimize commercial value, mitigate supplier risk, and ensure technology partnerships foster long-term innovation.

What will you do as Global D&T Category Manager?

As the Global D&T Category Manager, you will design, execute, and manage end-to-end sourcing strategies across the D&T ecosystem. Serving as a trusted business partner to the D&T senior stakeholders, you will drive digital transformation, optimize commercial value, mitigate supplier risk, and ensure technology partnerships foster long-term innovation.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Category Management

• Design and execute a 3–5 year global procurement strategy for the D&T category, covering sub-categories such as SaaS, Cloud Infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP), Enterprise Software (ERP/CRM), Digital Marketing Tech, and IT Consulting/Professional Services.
• Conduct continuous spend analysis and market intelligence mapping to identify cost-optimization opportunities, rationalization levers, and emerging technology trends.
• Aggregate global demand across business units to leverage economies of scale and maximize purchasing power.

Commercial Negotiations & Sourcing Execution

• Lead complex, high-value RFxs, global supplier selections, and commercial negotiations for enterprise-grade technology solutions.
• Drive creative commercial models such as consumption-based pricing, value-based pricing, and hybrid licensing that align with modern cloud and agile product deployment models.
• Partner with Finance, Legal and Data Privacy (GDPR/Compliance) teams to negotiate robust Master Services Agreements (MSAs), End User License Agreements (EULAs), and detailed Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

Stakeholder Collaboration & Digital Transformation

• Establish deep, collaborative partnerships with global D&T leadership, product owners, and regional business heads to align procurement pipelines with the corporate digital roadmap.
• Act as a bridge between the startup ecosystem, tech giants, and internal teams to bring cutting-edge digital capabilities into the organization.

Supplier Relationship & Risk Management (SRM)

• Manage a portfolio of critical, tier-1 global technology partners such as Microsoft, SAP, Salesforce, Oracle, and Accenture to unlock value beyond contract terms.
• Continuously assess and mitigate risks related to software compliance and audits, cybersecurity, vendor lock-in, and operational resilience.

Experience & Profile

What

• Bachelor or Masters degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, IT or equivalent. Purchasing and/or Business qualification desirable (CIPS/MBA).
• 7–10+ years of progressive experience in strategic procurement, with a minimum of 5 years dedicated specifically to Global IT/D&T procurement.
• Ability to understand complex D&T transformation projects.
• Good knowledge and broad understanding of the global IT supplier market, specifically in the domain of ERP and enterprise technology solutions.
• Experience in the IT and/or Professional Services categories.
• Demonstrated experience working within a matrixed, multinational corporate environment, managing cross-border stakeholders and diverse global supplier pools.

How

• Shape, connect, develop, deliver and role model HEINEKEN behaviours.
• Strong analytical skills, business acumen, interpersonal skills, and negotiation skills.
• Fluent in English (written and verbal), with the executive presence to influence C-suite stakeholders and challenge technical assumptions constructively.
• Thrives in ambiguity, possesses a high tolerance for organizational change, and can lead teams through the fast-paced evolution of digital technology.
• Proficient in data-driven decision-making, spend analysis tools such as Power BI, and advanced TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) modelling.
• Skilled in building collaborative relationships, change management, influencing skills, and managing without control.

Excited to help shape how we drive sourcing strategies across the D&T ecosystem? 🍻