Global Category Manager - Lead People. Enable Sales. Grow the Category

ABENA A/S; Aabenraa; On-site; DKK 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

ABENA A/S is seeking a Global Category Manager for Waste Management to drive commercial growth and lead a small, agile team across markets. You will shape category strategy, collaborate with sales, sourcing and subsidiaries, and focus on margin improvement and supplier development.

You will build capabilities, set clear priorities, and foster a strong team culture while ensuring alignment with ABENA's values. This role is based at ABENA Headquarters in Aabenraa, Denmark.

Qualifications

• Experience from category management and procurement in international settings.
• Proven leadership of a team and ability to develop people.
• Strong commercial mindset with ownership and results.
• Excellent stakeholder management across functions and markets.

Responsibilities

• Lead global Waste Management category development, setting direction and driving growth and margin.
• Coach and develop a team of five colleagues with clear direction and collaboration.
• Build capabilities in a new team and raise maturity and performance.
• Drive sourcing and supplier strategies, focusing on commodity management and price negotiation.
• Provide pricing, assortment decisions, tenders, and product positioning support to subsidiaries.
• Align global assortment with customer needs and market opportunities.

Skills

Category management

Sourcing

Leadership

Procurement

Stakeholder management

English

Danish

Job description

Global Category Manager - Lead People. Enable Sales. Grow the Category

Are you a commercially driven leader who knows how to bring people together, create clear direction and priorities, build strong relationships with sales, and turn category opportunities into business results?

If so, you might be the perfect fit as our new Global Category Manager at ABENA.

Leading people, strengthening commercial collaboration and growing the category

As Global Category Manager for Waste Management, you will take responsibility for both the commercial development of the category and the continued development of a young, evolving team.

An important part of your role will be to strengthen supplier development, risk mitigation and commercial mindset, strengthening the connection between the category and our sales organizations across markets.

You will have global end-to-end responsibility for the category and act as a bridge between your team, sourcing, suppliers, subsidiaries, sales and other stakeholders in a global organization. You will lead and develop a team of currently five colleagues. The team is still building its foundation, so we are looking for a leader who enjoys creating clarity and structure, developing people, and building a strong team culture.

This is a role for someone who thrives with ownership, enjoys developing people and teams, and is motivated by seeing the direct impact of their leadership on both performance and profitability.

Your role and responsibilities

• Lead the development of the global Waste Management category, setting a clear commercial direction and driving profitable growth, margin improvement, and overall category performance.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of 5 colleagues, creating clear direction, structure, engagement, and strong day-to-day collaboration.
• Build the capabilities and ways of working in a relatively new team, helping both individuals and the team grow in maturity and performance.
• Drive sourcing and supplier strategies with a strong focus on commodity management, especially within plastics, including price negotiations, supplier development, and risk mitigation.
• Drive a harmonized and scalable global assortment aligned with customer needs and market opportunities.
• Support subsidiaries with pricing, assortment decisions, tenders, and product positioning.

What we’re looking for

• Experience from category management, sourcing, procurement, or product ownership in an international organization
• Leadership experience and a genuine interest in developing people, especially in a young or newly established team
• Knowledge on how to create structure, motivation, and momentum in a team that is still building its foundation
• A strong commercial profile, motivated by ownership, performance improvement, and measurable business results
• Confidence in stakeholder management and ability to influence across functions and markets without relying solely on formal authority
• A clear communicator and professionally experienced in English and Danish

Your Team, Our Culture and Values

You will lead a young and relatively new team with strong potential and a collaborative mindset. The team is characterized by commitment to results and a willingness to spar and grow together. As leader, your task will be to develop the team further, create clarity and direction, and help build a strong foundation for long-term success. This is therefore an exciting opportunity for a leader who enjoys combining business responsibility with people development.

Your leader at ABENA will be Head of Procurement Nicko Rasmussen Olesen, who describes his leadership style as follows:

"I believe in an open and result-oriented dialogue, and I appreciate and respect the knowledge you bring to the table. Openness and trust are key values for me, as I delegate and trust that the freedom to choose the best approach is best governed by you – micromanagement is the last thing you should expect! You can expect that I strive to achieve transparency, straightforwardness and a genuine relation – no facade."

Your workplace will be located at the ABENA Headquarters in Aabenraa, Denmark.

At ABENA, you become part of a global company with a clear purpose:

making a real difference in people's everyday lives. Across the organization, we are guided by three core values: Trust, Fairness, and Cooperation. They shape how we work together, make decisions, and take responsibility for moving ABENA forward.

Om ABENA

Hos ABENA gør dit arbejde en forskel. Hver dag skaber vi løsninger, der forbedrer livskvaliteten for mennesker og samfund. Med mere end 2.000 kolleger, der betjener kunder i over 90 markeder inden for sundhedssektoren, industrien og detailhandlen, er vi forenet af et fælles engagement for medansvar og omsorg.

Som en familieejet virksomhed med en stærk global tilstedeværelse er vi bygget på tillid, retfærdighed og samarbejde – værdier, der guider os i, hvordan vi støtter hinanden og vokser sammen. Hos os finder du plads til at udfolde dit potentiale, udvikle nye kompetencer og gøre en meningsfuld forskel.

Bliv en del af os – og skab en karriere, der virkelig gør en forskel.

BECAUSE WE CARE
Du kan læse mere om os på www.abena.dk

Nicko Rasmussen Olesen, Head of Purchase