Lead Category Manager Procurement (m/f/d)

CTS Eventim AG & Co. KGaA; Hamburg; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days paid vacation

Up to 15 days unpaid leave

Workation 25 days within EU

Flexible working hours

Ticket discounts and events

Job summary

CTS EVENTIM AG & Co. KGaA in Hamburg seeks a Lead Category Manager to own procurement categories across the group. You will develop category strategies, drive end-to-end sourcing, and build strategic supplier relationships to deliver measurable value.

You will consolidate demand across brands and subsidiaries, perform TCO analyses, negotiate contracts and monitor performance, while ensuring compliance and continuous process improvement. Fluent English is required; German is a plus.

Qualifications

• Several years of strategic procurement experience.
• Proven track record leading complex negotiations.
• Experience in IT/technology, professional services, marketing, venue operations or equipment.
• Strong analytical skills with cost models and business cases.
• Ability to challenge requirements and develop practical solutions.
• Experience across countries, business units or legal entities is a plus.
• Fluent English; German is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category strategies aligned with business requirements and objectives across the CTS EVENTIM Group.
• Lead sourcing initiatives end to end, from demand analysis to negotiations, contracting and implementation.
• Identify and consolidate demand across business units, brands and subsidiaries to create group-wide opportunities.
• Analyse supplier markets, pricing models and cost drivers; assess alternative solutions.
• Prepare and manage total cost of ownership analyses, benchmarks and business cases.
• Negotiate contracts covering pricing, service levels, performance and risk.
• Manage strategic supplier relationships and monitor performance and commitments.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies and four-eyes principle; drive process improvements and data quality.

Skills

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Commercial judgment

Ownership

Results-oriented

Education

University degree or equivalent

Job description

Your role As Lead Category Manager, you will take commercial responsibility for selected procurement categories across the CTS EVENTIM Group. You will develop category strategies, lead complex sourcing initiatives and negotiations, and work closely with business units and subsidiaries to identify opportunities and create measurable value. You will play an active role in building a strategic global procurement function and translating its objectives into effective agreements, transparent business cases and strong supplier relationships. Your responsibilities Develop and implement category strategies aligned with business requirements, market developments and the Group’s objectives. Lead sourcing initiatives end to end, from demand analysis and supplier selection through to negotiations, contracting and implementation. Identify and consolidate demand across business units, brands and subsidiaries to create Group-wide opportunities. Analyse supplier markets, pricing models and cost drivers, and assess alternative solutions. Prepare and manage total cost of ownership analyses, benchmarks and commercial business cases. Negotiate contracts covering pricing, service levels, performance, flexibility and commercial risk. Manage strategic supplier relationships and monitor performance, contractual commitments and improvement opportunities. Identify, validate and report savings and other value contributions in line with the agreed methodology. Partner with internal stakeholders to challenge requirements constructively, evaluate alternatives and support informed commercial decisions. Ensure compliance with procurement policies, approval requirements and the four-eyes principle. Contribute to the continuous improvement of procurement processes, tools, data quality and reporting. Share category and negotiation expertise and support the development of colleagues across the procurement team.

Your profile Several years of relevant experience in strategic procurement, category management, sourcing or commercial negotiations. A proven track record of independently leading complex negotiations and delivering measurable commercial results. Experience in one or more relevant categories, such as IT and technology, professional services, marketing, venue operations or equipment. Strong analytical skills and confidence in working with cost models, business cases and supplier proposals. The ability to understand business requirements, challenge assumptions constructively and develop practical solutions. Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence decisions across functions and levels of seniority. Commercial judgment, a strong sense of ownership and a structured, results-oriented approach. Experience working across countries, business units or legal entities is an advantage. Fluent English; German is an advantage. A relevant university degree or equivalent professional experience.

Benefits 30 days of paid vacation plus the option of up to 15 days of unpaid leave 25 days of workation within the EU Flexible working hours Sofa Concerts and employee events Discounts on ticket purchases & opportunities for clearing assignments Corporate benefits and discounts at KESS Central location & subsidy for a Job Ticket or Germany Ticket Bike leasing Mental health program & company pension scheme “GoFluent” language learning platform as well as Lunch & Learn sessions

We value diversity and treat all applications equally – regardless of gender, background, age, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. Different perspectives enrich our team and make EVENTIM stronger.

As Europe's number one in ticketing and live entertainment and number two worldwide, we are active in over 25 countries. Among other things, we develop software and e-commerce platforms that form the basis for the commercial success of many event organisers and artists. At the same time, we provide millions of fans around the world with unforgettable experiences. In the ticketing segment, our e-commerce and tech teams bring decades of experience, technical expertise and comprehensive know-how in software development, data science, product management and quality assurance, as well as agile working methods.

30 days of paid vacation plus the option of up to 15 days of unpaid leave 25 days of workation within the EU Flexible working hours Sofa Concerts and employee events Discounts on ticket purchases Corporate benefits and discounts at KESS Central location & subsidy for a Job Ticket or Germany Ticket Bike leasing Mental health program & company pension scheme “GoFluent” language learning platform as well as Lunch & Learn sessions