Global Category Group Manager
Global Group Category Manager
About Our Client
Our Client is a global leader in logistics and automation technology, operating across more than 600 locations worldwide and employing over 5,500 people globally. The organisation delivers large‑scale, complex engineering and automation solutions for airport, parcel, and warehouse operations, supporting billions of transactions annually. With revenues in excess of €1.4bn, Our Client continues to invest heavily in innovation, sustainability, and procurement excellence to support long‑term, profitable growth.
The Role
Our Client is seeking a Global Group Category Manager to lead strategic category management across a highly complex, global procurement environment. This role holds responsibility for approximately €400m in annual spend across contract manufacturing, mechanical and electronic components, and direct materials.
As a senior member of the Global Procurement Leadership Team, the role reports directly into the Chief Procurement Officer and plays a key part in driving value creation, supplier resilience, and procurement maturity across the business.
The Global Group Category Manager will lead a team of around eight Category Managers, primarily spread across the APAC region, while working closely with stakeholders globally across Engineering, Operations, Technology, and Supply Chain.
A key focus of the role is strengthening procurement capability and local sourcing depth in China, particularly around subcontracting and component localisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and develop a global team of Category Managers across subcontracting, mechanical and electronic components, and materials
- Own and execute global category strategies, aligned to business priorities, growth plans, and supply market dynamics
- Drive procurement capability development in China, with a focus on local sourcing, subcontracting, and supplier localisation
- Establish and lead cross‑functional category teams, partnering closely with Engineering, Operations, and Technology
- Manage strategic supplier relationships, including performance management, risk mitigation, and issue resolution
- Lead complex global sourcing and contracting activities, including RfX development, supplier evaluation, negotiation, and award
- Ensure strong governance, compliance, and ethical sourcing across all procurement activities
- Leverage data and market insights to optimise cost, quality, availability, innovation, sustainability, and risk
- Oversee purchase requisition accuracy and compliance for non‑catalog spend, providing guidance where required
- Ensure accurate and up‑to‑date master data management in collaboration with procurement centres of excellence
Candidate Profile
- 15+ years of procurement experience within large, global organisations, ideally in project‑driven or engineered environments
- Proven experience defining and executing global category strategies and leading complex sourcing initiatives
- Demonstrated success leading geographically dispersed, multicultural teams
- Strong knowledge of procurement governance, compliance, and ethical sourcing standards
- Track record of delivering measurable commercial and operational results
- Highly effective stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills
- Fluent in English and Mandarin
- Willingness to travel internationally up to approximately 30 percent
Why Join
This is a highly visible, global leadership role offering significant autonomy and impact. The successful candidate will play a critical role in shaping global procurement strategy, strengthening supplier partnerships, and supporting the organisation's continued growth across international markets.
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