Categories Lead

Airbus SE; Brisbane; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work-from-home

Professional development

Job summary

Airbus Australia Pacific seeks an experienced Senior Category Manager to lead procurement across Australia and New Zealand. You will drive long-term category roadmaps, run complex negotiations, and optimize total cost of ownership while managing supplier risk.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, apply advanced analytics, and leverage SAP and Coupa to deliver value. The role offers hybrid work options and a focus on continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of dedicated Category Management experience across direct/indirect spend.
• Degree in Procurement, Supply Chain or related field (CIPS membership is highly regarded).
• Proven success in complex commercial negotiations with cost reductions and TCO optimisation.
• Proficiency in SAP and Coupa; advanced Excel/Google Sheets analytics.

Responsibilities

• Develop 3 to 5 year category roadmaps for direct or indirect spend.
• Apply spend analytics and market intelligence to consolidate supplier bases.
• Lead Calls for Tender (CFT) and supplier selection in adherence to governance.
• Drive supplier relationship management to mitigate risk and achieve cost targets.
• Collaborate with Sourcing Advisors, Operational Buyers, and Logistics teams for end-to-end execution.

Skills

Category management

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

SAP

Coupa

Excel/Sheets

Education

Degree in Procurement or Supply Chain

Tools

SAP

Coupa

Job description

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space, and related services. With a workforce of 130,000, Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners around. Airbus Australia Pacific (AAP) is the region's largest helicopter business, employing people across multiple locations in Australia and New Zealand. With the largest market share in civilian helicopters, the company supports more than 500 Airbus helicopters and is well recognised as a leading Through-Life-Support provider in military fixed-wing and helicopter platforms.

About the Role

Residing within our Supply function and reporting directly to the Manager Procurement, you will deliver comprehensive procurement services and strategic category oversight across Australia and New Zealand. You will act as the crucial bridge between high-level business goals and operational execution—unlocking long-term commercial value, fostering supplier innovation, and proactively mitigating supply risk.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and executing robust 3 to 5 year category roadmaps (direct or indirect spend) aligned with whole-of-company objectives.
• Applying advanced spend analytics, segmentation frameworks, and market intelligence to consolidate supplier bases and leverage economies of scale.
• Challenge existing approaches and identify opportunities
• Leading Calls for Tender (CFT) and supplier selection via Coupa and SAP in strict adherence to governance and procurement probity standards.
• Leading complex commercial negotiations, contract variations, and settlement deeds for strategically significant supply.
• Driving Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) to mitigate supply chain vulnerability, and deliver cost-optimisation targets.
• Partnering cross-functionally with Sourcing Advisors, Operational Buyers, and Warehouse & Logistics teams to ensure seamless end-to-end supply execution.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will live the Airbus Values, work with passion and determination, and thrive in an environment of continuous improvement. You will bring:

• 8+ years of dedicated Category Management experience, with proven capability managing multiple direct or indirect categories concurrently.
• A degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field (membership of a professional body such as CIPS is highly regarded).
• Demonstrated success in leading complex commercial negotiations and delivering sustainable cost reductions and total cost of ownership (TCO) optimisations.
• Proficiency in enterprise procurement systems (SAP, Coupa) and advanced analytical tools (Excel/Google Sheets).
• Strong commercial acumen, exceptional stakeholder-influencing capabilities, and a proactive, risk-aware approach.
• Exposure to Defence environments and ASDEFCON frameworks is desirable, though not essential.

Why Us?

We seek to inspire our people to grow so you have the right mindset, behaviours, and skills to thrive.

• Genuine flexibility, including hybrid work-from-home options to help you balance your personal and professional life.
• Tailored personal and professional development through dedicated classroom and online learning pathways.
• Formal reward and recognition programmes celebrating your achievements.

Airbus Australia Pacific is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. Female applicants, people of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, and ex-defence personnel are strongly encouraged to apply.

Eligibility Requirements:

You must be eligible to obtain and maintain an Australian Baseline Defence security clearance and satisfy pre-employment medical checks.