Category Manager – Indirect Materials Professional Services

Zeppelin Rental GmbH; Zug; On-site; CHF 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Zeppelin Rental GmbH seeks a Category Manager Indirect Materials & Services to lead global strategic management of indirect spend across professional services. You will design sourcing strategies, manage suppliers, and negotiate contracts with stakeholders worldwide.

The role requires 5+ years in strategic procurement, strong negotiation and analytical skills, and fluency in English and German. Travel will be needed in this cross-functional, international setting.

Qualifications

• Degree in Business, Engineering, Economics or equivalent.
• Minimum 5 years in strategic or project procurement.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and risk management skills.
• Service-minded with experience in cross-functional teams.
• Understanding of project workflows and contract law is a plus.
• Fluency in English and German; travel flexibility.

Responsibilities

• Manage supplier relationships and negotiate terms for indirect materials and services.
• Develop and implement global category strategies for professional services.
• Conduct market analyses to identify suppliers and technologies.
• Lead RFPs, bid comparisons, and framework agreements to drive economies of scale.
• Draft contracts and coordinate with legal teams on terms.
• Set sourcing specs and KPI-based risk management for the category.
• Coordinate interfaces across multiple departments (Operations, Product, Finance).

Skills

Strategic procurement

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Supplier management

Cost and risk management

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Business / Engineering / Economics

Job description

Category Manager – Indirect Materials Professional ServicesLocation: Steinhausen (Switzerland)Reporting Line: Head of Category Management Indirect MaterialsRole SummaryAs a Category Manager Indirect Materials & Services, you will be responsible for the global strategic management of the indirect spend categories “Professional Services (incl. Human Resources)” across the Zeppelin Group. You will lead sourcing strategies, supplier management, contract negotiations, and cost optimization initiatives while collaborating closely with stakeholders and suppliers worldwide. The role ensures procurement activities support business requirements and long-term corporate objectives.YOUR TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIESEstablishing, maintaining, and managing supplier relationships to ensure competitive terms and a stable supply chainDeveloping and implementing sustainable category strategies to optimize the quality, cost structure, and availability of materials and servicesConducting comprehensive market analyses to identify potential suppliers and technologiesRedesigning and implementing strategic supplier managementDesigning and implementing forecasting systems for suppliers based on S&OP processesPreparing requests for proposals, conducting bid comparisons, and leading price and terms negotiations, including preparing corresponding framework agreements to leverage economies of scaleDrafting and negotiating contracts, confidently handling contract law and correspondence with attorneysEstablishing targeted sourcing specifications for materials and services and developing KPI-based risk management for the assigned categoryCoordinating interfaces between Operational Procurement, Master Data & Operations Planning, Product Management, Engineering, Logistics, Quality Management, and Finance & ControllingWHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORA degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s) in Business, Engineering, Economics or equivalent qualification5+ years of experience in strategic or project-specific procurementStrong negotiation skills, analytical abilities, and expertise in cost and risk managementA strong service-oriented mindset and an awareness of working as a strategic procurement professional in a highly cross-functional organizationUnderstanding technical requirements, project workflows, and agile working methods, as well as knowledge of contract law and negotiation skillsResilience, initiative, and the ability to take on responsibility in a dynamic and global environmentFluency in English and German, knowledge of further languages is a plusWillingness to travelWhy Join Zeppelin Procurement?We are creating a procurement organization that moves beyond transactional purchasing, becomes a strategic business partner delivering measurable competitive advantage and generates measurable value and impact to our business. If you want to shape the strategic direction for indirect category management and drive lasting value creation across an international organization, we would like to hear from you.