Category Manager - Raw Material

e7 Group; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 250,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

e7 Group in the United Arab Emirates is seeking an experienced Category Manager - Raw Material to lead strategic procurement for direct production materials. The role focuses on cost competitiveness, quality, supply continuity, and resilience through category management, sourcing, supplier partnerships, and negotiations.

The candidate will develop category strategies, evaluate markets and supplier capabilities, and lead negotiations to secure favorable terms while ensuring uninterrupted supply

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (supply chain, procurement, business, engineering, finance).
• 8–10 years in procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management.
• 3–5 years category management in large industrial, manufacturing, or multinational org.
• Proven experience in supplier negotiations, contract management, and cost optimization.
• Strong knowledge of spend analysis, benchmarking, TCO, and commodity risk management.
• Understanding of procurement policies, governance, and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent stakeholder management, influencing, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Manage the raw material portfolio to ensure uninterrupted supply.
• Develop and execute category strategies to optimize cost, quality, service, and supplier performance.
• Evaluate markets, supplier capabilities, pricing trends, and risks to support decisions.
• Lead commercial negotiations for competitive pricing and favorable terms.
• Conduct spend analysis, benchmarking, should-cost, and TCO assessments.
• Monitor commodity price fluctuations and mitigation measures for risks.
• Build strategic supplier relationships and monitor KPIs, quality, and contracts.
• Collaborate with Production, Planning, Quality, Engineering, Warehouse, and Finance to support schedules and inventory.
• Provide procurement expertise for new product development and supplier selection.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Category management

Supplier negotiations

Spend analysis

Risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management

Job description

Job Description

Category Manager - Raw Material

We are seeking an experienced Category Manager - Raw Material to manage strategic procurement activities for direct production materials. This role is responsible for ensuring cost competitiveness, quality, supply continuity, and operational resilience through effective category management, strategic sourcing, supplier partnerships, and commercial negotiations.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the raw material portfolio to ensure an uninterrupted supply of quality materials while supporting manufacturing and operational requirements.
• Develop and execute category strategies that optimize cost, quality, service, and supplier performance.
• Evaluate commodity markets, supplier capabilities, pricing trends, and supply risks to support informed procurement decisions.
• Lead commercial negotiations to secure competitive pricing, favorable contractual terms, and sustainable value.
• Conduct spend analysis, cost benchmarking, should-cost modelling, and total cost of ownership assessments.
• Monitor commodity price fluctuations and implement mitigation measures to minimize commercial and supply risks.
• Build strategic supplier relationships and monitor performance against agreed KPIs, quality standards, and contractual commitments.
• Implement supply continuity and business continuity measures for critical raw materials.
• Collaborate with Production, Planning, Quality, Engineering, Warehouse, and Finance to support production schedules and inventory optimization.
• Provide procurement expertise for new product development, material qualification, supplier selection, and cross-functional initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum 8–10 years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management.
• At least 3–5 years of category management experience within a large industrial, manufacturing, or multinational organization.
• Proven experience in supplier negotiations, contract management, strategic sourcing, and cost optimization.
• Strong knowledge of spend analysis, cost benchmarking, total cost of ownership, and commodity risk management.
• Sound understanding of procurement policies, governance frameworks, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong commercial acumen, analytical thinking, and supplier relationship management skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management, influencing, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration capabilities.
• Professional certification such as CIPS, CPSM, CSCP, MCIPS, ISM, or equivalent is highly desirable.

Join e7 Group and be part of a dynamic organization committed to excellence, innovation, and sustainable growth across diverse industries.