Description

As a Category Manager, you will drive supply chain excellence by optimizing supplier relationships, executing strategic initiatives, and ensuring material availability. Your proactive approach will help mitigate risks and enhance supplier performance across the global network.

Requirements

• •Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field
• •Minimum of 3 years’ work experience in a similar position
• •Basic understanding of production technologies such as investment casting, precision machining, forging, or coating processes
• •Confidence in interpreting and working with technical drawings and specifications
• •Technical background and profound supply management commercial understanding
• •Experience in strategic supply chain/procurement in an international environment
• •Strong experience in supplier development and quality improvement (APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC, MSA, ISO9001, Six Sigma Green Belt)
• •Project Management experience in an international context, persistent in execution
• •Experienced handling of SAP and Office tools
• •Excellent negotiation skills
• •Collaborative and solution-focused approach with strong communication skills
• •Ambition to lead cross functional teams in an international environment
• •Good command both in English and German
• •Team player approach
• •Minimum on-site presence of 2–3 days per week
• •Willingness to travel 5-15%

Tasks

• •Manage and optimize the existing supplier base
• •Enhance and execute the category strategy to align with business goals
• •Identify, evaluate, and onboard new suppliers
• •Proactively assess and mitigate risks in the supply chain
• •Lead price negotiations and contract discussions with suppliers
• •Conduct should-cost analysis to validate cost targets
• •Perform benchmarking to evaluate supplier competitiveness
• •Manage the Request for Quotation (RFQ) process for pricing alignment
• •Initiate and support supplier development projects for performance improvement
• •Collaborate with Supplier Quality Engineers for continuous improvement
• •Support operational purchasing to resolve delayed deliveries
• •Ensure adequate production capacity across the supplier portfolio
• •Guarantee material availability through proactive planning
• •Identify potential capacity constraints and implement mitigation strategies

Tools & Technologies

Benefits