Head of Category Management – Indirect Non-CAT Materials (m/f/d)

Zeppelin Rental GmbH; Zug; On-site; CHF 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Zeppelin Group is seeking a Head of Category Management – Indirect Non-CAT Materials to lead global strategic procurement. You will define category strategies, manage supplier relations, and ensure alignment with SBUs and business stakeholders.

You will own the indirect materials savings pipeline governance, sponsor supplier management, and drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, reporting, and data quality, including leadership and development of the team.

Qualifications

• A degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s) in Business, Engineering, Economics or equivalent.
• 10+ years of professional experience, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Extensive expertise in global strategic procurement and supplier management.
• Deep knowledge of procurement processes, systems, and structures.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with strong communication and influencing skills.
• Business-level English; German is beneficial.
• Willingness to travel globally.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement global category strategies and standards.
• Lead supplier evaluation, tenders, and negotiations; manage key suppliers.
• Drive spend consolidation and governance of indirect materials categories.
• Sponsor strategic supplier management and drive procurement process improvements.
• Lead, develop, and train team members; provide disciplinary leadership as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic procurement

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Communication skills

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business/Engineering/Economics

Tools

Procurement systems

Sourcing tools

Job description

Zeppelin Group: ProcurementLocation: Preference Steinhausen (Switzerland) or any of Zeppelin’s European locationsReporting Line: Head of ProcurementDirect Reports: Category Managers Indirect Non-CAT MaterialsABOUT THE ROLEAs Head of Category Management – Indirect Non-CAT Materials, you will lead Zeppelin’s strategic category management for indirect Non-CAT material categories across the Group, define category strategies, playbooks, savings contribution, supplier evaluation and risk management, while enabling Category Managers to deliver measurable value and impact to the business as well as sustainable supplier relationships.You will act as the interface to SBUs and other business stakeholders, agreeing demand forecasts and specifications, validating business requirements and aligning category roadmaps with SBU priorities. In this role, you will own the direct-materials savings pipeline governance, sponsor strategic supplier management and drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, reporting and data quality.YOUR TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIESResponsible for the further development of global strategic procurement activities, including defining a tiered supplier portfolio in alignment with the requirements of internal stakeholdersAnalyze markets, manage key suppliers, oversee tenders and the organization of pitches, and prepare and communicate the results in a format suitable for managementDevelop, refine and implement category strategies and standards in Group’s procurement - always with a focus on efficiency, spend consolidation, tail end spend, transparency, and sustainabilityDefine and implement analyses of opportunities and risks, as well as the current and future supply of services & materials, with regard to sustainability, technology, quality, and costsEstablishing targeted sourcing guidelines for indirect materials and developing a KPI-based risk management system for the managed categoriesPrepare for and conduct negotiations with suppliers, including finalizing respective contracts with consideration of local lawsLast but not least, you will be responsible for the technical and disciplinary leadership, as well as the continuous development and training of our employees (m/f/d) in your area, including all associated tasksWHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORA degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s) in Business, Engineering, Economics or equivalent qualification10+ years of professional experience, including 5 years of leadership experience in a senior management position. Experience in the disciplinary management of executives is requiredExtensive expertise and a proven track record in global strategic procurement, supply chain management, and/or project or product management.Extensive expertise in procurement processes, systems, and structuresAn entrepreneurial mindset and approach, combined with your strong communication skills, enable you to interact on an equal footing with individuals at various hierarchical levels -both nationally and internationally - in a dynamic environmentA strong service orientation and an awareness of working as a procurement professional within a highly interdependent organizationLeadership skills, empathy, negotiation skills, assertiveness, and quick comprehension set you apart, as do your analytical and conceptual skillsBusiness-level proficiency in spoken and written English; German language skills are beneficialA willingness to undertake regular, global business travel rounds out your profileWhy 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 lead a team, shape the strategic direction for direct-materials category management and drive lasting value creation across an international organization, we would like to hear from you.Please note that the exact title of this role may change in the following.