Global Category Manager

Vanderlande is seeking a Global Category Manager HR/Professional Services, Travel & Mobility to drive strategic category management across our procurement activities. You will be part of the Procurement department and report directly into the Head of Global Indirect Spend.

As Global Category Manager you will develop, implement and manage global category strategies to deliver sustainable value, cost improvements, supplier innovation, and risk mitigation across Vanderlande. You work in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders and as a lead in cross-functional teams. Your leadership will be critical in managing complex sourcing events and fostering strong supplier relationships to ensure our procurement activities align with business objectives and ethical standards.

Our global procurement organization enables our projects and business functions by maximizing value and minimizing risks via the procurement of goods and services in the most smart, cost-effective and sustainable way. We ensure a resilient and competitive supplier ecosystem and aim to advance towards best-in-class practices, and ensure the organization is efficient, effective, and future-proof.

We are looking for a pro-active & pragmatic person to put all existing pieces together, secure execution of the category strategy and provide added value by delivering cost savings.

What will you do?

As a Global Category Manager, you will lead global strategic initiatives to optimize category performance, focusing on cost savings (TCO), stakeholder collaboration and supplier relationship management. You will have a leading important role in cross-functional category teams (with e.g., HR, Compensation and Benefits) and develop and implement optimal category strategies, lead complex sourcing events, and ensure compliance with sourcing policies and legal requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement global category strategies for HR/Professional services, Travel & Mobility across all regions, in alignment with relevant stakeholders.
• Analyze internal business needs, coordinating supply market research, identifying new suppliers, recognizing opportunities for cost savings and performance improvements (e.g. safety, performance & sustainability) in your assigned category and commissioning detailed cost analysis if required
• Lead complex sourcing events, setting up cross functional sourcing event teams, overseeing the creation of RfX documents, setting selection and awarding criteria, validating the longlist of suppliers, evaluating proposals, shortlisting suppliers for further negotiations, conducting negotiations, and awarding contracts
• In collaboration with Legal, oversee the creation of contracts and enforce the use of contract templates for the legal engagement of suppliers
• Initiate and oversee supplier onboarding for new suppliers
• Own and be accountable for the overall performance of suppliers within your assigned category fostering collaboration and managing risks effectively
• When required, review details within Purchase Requisitions (PR) for non-catalog items and request clarification from requester(s)
• Develop, implement, and maintain the required policies for your categories, ensuring alignment with business objectives, ethical guidelines, and legal requirements
• Responsible for ensuring mutual alignment and effective communication between global and regional category teams to maintain consistent strategies and maximize global leverage
• Responsible for ensuring mutual alignment and effective communication between own strategic procurement role and project specific procurement activities executed within the category

What you bring

• A strong background (+ 4 Years) in procurement, with a proven track record in global category management and strategic sourcing
• Knowledge and practical experience with strategic sourcing and procurement & business metrics (KPI’s).
• Experience in leading complex sourcing events and negotiations, with the ability to set clear objectives and evaluate supplier proposals effectively
• Knowledge of sourcing policies, ethical guidelines, and legal requirements to ensure compliance in all procurement activities
• Excellent collaboration skills to work closely with internal stakeholders, suppliers, and legal teams to ensure compliance and alignment with business objectives
• Ability to travel internationally up to 10% of the time

About Vanderlande

Vanderlande is the global market leader for future-proof logistic process automation at airports and in the parcel market. Furthermore, we are also a leading supplier of process automation solutions for warehouses, which seamlessly integrate innovative systems, intelligent software and life-cycle services.

At Vanderlande, you can develop your career, satisfy your ambitions, aspire to new heights, while enjoying personal growth and thriving on achievement.

What we offer

• 40 vacation days (20 statutory days and a flexible budget worth 20 days).
• Flexible working hours.
• A hybrid workplace (40% working from home and 60% in the office)
• A Health & Wellbeing budget worth €300,- per calendar year
• Commuting allowance, including full reimbursement of travel by public transport.
• Working from home allowance.
• Collective pension scheme and discount on additional health insurance
• On-site company health centres with a gym, physiotherapists and occupational therapists
• Vanderlande Academy and training facilities to boost your skills
• A variety in Vanderlande Network communities and initiatives
• And a great company restaurant and coffee bar with barista