Category Manager & Global Sourcing Manager Site Services (all genders)

Merck KGaA; Weiterstadt; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Biopharma Careers is seeking a Global Category Manager for Site Services. You will own global category strategies across Equipment, Construction, and Energy, guiding end-to-end sourcing programs and multi-region governance.

You will collaborate with Manufacturing, Engineering, Finance, and Legal to deliver value with transparent leadership reporting. You bring 8–12+ years in strategic sourcing in multinational life science or electronics contexts, strong analytics, and the ability to lead

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• 8–12+ years in strategic sourcing and category management.
• Experience in indirect/technical/engineering procurement within multinational settings.
• Strong TCO modeling, spend analytics, and negotiation capabilities.
• Ability to lead cross-regional teams without direct authority.

Responsibilities

• Develop and govern global category strategies for Site Services, including capital and OPEX procurement.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing programs from market analysis to contract closure.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier portfolios with formal governance cadences.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Legal, and Compliance.
• Coordinate virtual category teams across regions to deliver value and compliance.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Category management

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

TCO modeling

Data analytics

Supplier governance

Multinational experience

Leadership without authority

AI in procurement

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Economics, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

AI procurement tools

Job description

Your role

As a Global Category Manager for Site Services, you will sit at the heart of a worldwide Technical Sourcing organization, shaping the procurement strategies that underpin some of the most significant capital and operational investments across a global science and technology enterprise. This is a high- visibility, high-impact role for an experienced procurement professional who thrives on complexity, drives value at scale, and influences outcomes across organizational boundaries without relying on direct authority.

You will own and continuously evolve the global category strategy for Site Services – spanning Equipment and Components, Construction, and Energy – directly aligned to capital investment plans and long-term business priorities. Applying a spend entrepreneurship mindset, you will lead rigorous end-to-end sourcing programs: from market analysis, supplier segmentation, and total cost of ownership modeling through to contract conclusion and claim management.

You will build and govern a high-performing strategic supplier portfolio, establish structured supplier relationship management programs with clear key performance indicator frameworks and governance cadences, and ensure resilient, multi-region supply continuity. Acting as a trusted counterpart to Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Legal, and Compliance stakeholders across all business sectors, you will coordinate virtual global category teams across the Americas, Europe, and Asia – generating cross- project synergies and delivering quantifiable, sustained value improvements with full transparency to senior leadership.

Who you are

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Economics, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent professional experience is equally valued.
• 8–12+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing and category management, with a strong track record in indirect, technical, or engineering-related procurement within complex, multinational environments – ideally in life sciences, healthcare, or electronics.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and executing global category strategies, including capital expenditure and operational expenditure procurement, supplier relationship management, contract negotiations, and multi-region supplier governance.
• Exceptional analytical and commercial acumen: fluency in total cost of ownership modeling, spend analytics, should-cost analysis, and advanced negotiation strategies, with the ability to translate technical requirements into compelling procurement solutions.
• Outstanding stakeholder management and influencing skills; proven ability to lead without formal authority in a matrixed global organization and to present data-driven business cases to senior leadership.
• Solid understanding of compliance-intensive environments, including Good Manufacturing Practice standards and sustainable procurement practices aligned to environmental, social, and governance principles.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with artificial intelligence tools and concepts – including their practical applications, limitations, and ethical implications – to support informed, responsible decision-making in a procurement context.
• Business fluency in English is required; proficiency in German, French, Mandarin, or other languages is a distinct advantage.

Department: EF-PO-CIG Investment Projects Sourcing Central Europe

Job evaluation: AT - Expert 3