Category Leader - Indirect Procurement

Sun Chemical; Alcalá de Henares; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Merit increases

Paid holidays

Paid Time Off

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Disability benefits

401(k) + match

Life insurance

Job summary

Sun Chemical is seeking a Category Leader to own global indirect procurement strategies across Facilities Management, Plant Maintenance, and Capital Expenditure. You will drive sourcing initiatives, leverage AI tools, and build strong supplier relationships in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

You will lead negotiations, develop contracts with key stakeholders, and implement risk management to safeguard supply continuity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with at least 7 years in indirect procurement category management.
• Hands-on experience with SAP Ariba and other SAP tools.
• Proven track record in international procurement and cost-reduction initiatives.
• Strong communication, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Advanced Excel and MS Office skills (Excel, Teams, Outlook, SharePoint).

Responsibilities

• Gather business specifications and requirements for global needs, conduct RFXs and auctions, and provide reporting on global status.
• Document and track KPIs to monitor supplier performance and ensure high standards.
• Develop and deliver impactful PowerPoint presentations to executives and stakeholders.
• Consolidate the supply chain via catalogs and master framework agreements.
• Apply machine learning and AI tools to define category strategies and achieve lowest total cost of ownership.
• Facilitate procurement processes and policies for alignment across teams.
• Lead supplier negotiations and contract development with suppliers, legal, finance, and stakeholders.
• Develop risk management strategies to mitigate supply disruptions.
• Lead supplier enablement and manage key relationships for quality, cost, delivery.
• Optimize digital cataloging and Punchouts for procurement contracts.
• Gather scorecard data and lead Supplier Executive Business Reviews.

Skills

English fluency

SAP Ariba

Negotiation

Cross-cultural experience

MS Office (Excel, Teams, Outlook,Share

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

SAP Ariba

Job description

About The Organization

Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC Group, is a leading producer of packaging and graphic solutions, color and display technologies, functional products, electronic materials, and products for the automotive and healthcare industries. Together with DIC, Sun Chemical is continuously working to promote and develop sustainable solutions to exceed customer expectations and better the world around us. With combined annual sales of more than $8.5 billion and 22,000+ employees worldwide, the DIC Group companies support a diverse collection of global customers.

About The Organization

Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC Group, is a leading producer of packaging and graphic solutions, color and display technologies, functional products, electronic materials, and products for the automotive and healthcare industries. Together with DIC, Sun Chemical is continuously working to promote and develop sustainable solutions to exceed customer expectations and better the world around us. With combined annual sales of more than $8.5 billion and 22,000+ employees worldwide, the DIC Group companies support a diverse collection of global customers. Sun Chemical Corporation is a subsidiary of Sun Chemical Group Coöperatief U.A., the Netherlands, and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S.A. For more information, please visit our website at www.sunchemical.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter Sun Chemical is looking for a talented and driven Category Leader to join our Global Indirect Procurement team. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced procurement professional to take ownership of global and regional sourcing strategies within key Indirect spend categories, including Facilities Management, Plant Maintenance/Equipment, and Capital Expenditure. The Category Leader will be at the forefront of developing and executing category strategies that optimize value, improve service quality, and drive meaningful cost savings across the organization. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment and is passionate about building strong supplier relationships, leading strategic sourcing initiatives, and making a real impact on the business. The Category Leader will play a key part in shaping and driving Sun Chemical's indirect procurement function.

Responsibilities

• Gathering business specifications and requirements for global needs, conducting RFXs and auctions through an e-Sourcing platform, and providing comprehensive reporting on global status to support informed decision-making.
• Documenting and tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to rigorously monitor supplier performance and ensure the highest standards are consistently met.
• Developing and delivering impactful PowerPoint presentations to both executive and non-executive audiences, clearly communicating challenges, opportunities, and recommendations.
• Consolidating the supply chain to reduce complexity and streamline transactions through catalogues, master framework agreements, and other tools.
• Applying machine learning and AI tools to analyze, define, and execute category strategies that achieve the lowest total cost of ownership from suppliers and contractors.
• Facilitating procurement processes and policies to ensure alignment across regional and global teams.
• Proactively engaging in projects at the earliest stages to drive Category development, growth, and maximum business benefit.
• Executing strategic sourcing projects and supplier selection initiatives using best practices and e-Sourcing/digital tools.
• Leading negotiations and the development of key contracts in collaboration with suppliers, legal, finance, and business stakeholders.
• Developing risk management strategies to safeguard against potential supply disruptions, including identifying alternative sourcing options.
• Leading a supplier enablement strategy to maximize spend transactions and managing key strategic supplier relationships to ensure quality, cost, delivery, and service commitments are met.
• Optimizing digital cataloguing, including Punchouts, for key procurement contracts.
• Gathering customer scorecard data and leading Supplier Executive Business Reviews to drive continuous performance improvements.

Position Requirements

• Business-level fluency in English, both verbally and in writing.
• A Bachelor's Degree with a minimum of 7 years of experience in an Indirect Procurement Category Management role.
• Hands-on experience with SAP Ariba and other SAP tools.
• A proven track record in international procurement and sourcing, with demonstrated success leading change and cost reduction initiatives in cross-cultural environments.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, with excellent organizational, problem-solving, and decision‑making abilities.
• A self‑motivated and proactive mindset with a talent for identifying and pursuing project opportunities.
• 3 to 5 years of experience using Microsoft Office products at a medium to expert level, including Excel, Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, and other Microsoft tools.
• Experience developing and presenting to senior level management on a routine basis.
• Excellent analytical and financial acumen, including cost modelling, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Proven strategic thinking and decision‑making abilities, with experience leading functions in a complex, matrixed environment.
• Strong influencing and change management skills, with the ability to build relationships and credibility across the organization, paired with solid internal and external negotiation skills.
• Deep sourcing and procurement proficiency, including strategic sourcing expertise and a strong understanding of sourcing methodologies and tools.

Benefits

We offer a range of market-competitive total rewards that include merit increases, paid holidays, Paid Time Off, medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability benefits, 401(k)+match and life insurance. Eligibility of benefit timing may vary.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

It is Sun’s policy that applicants for employment are recruited, selected, and hired on the basis of individual merit and ability with respect to the position being filled. Sun prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Employment agencies are an important component of our talent acquisition strategy, and we value the partnerships we have built with our preferred vendors. We will not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies for any employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Sun Chemical or directly to hiring managers in any form without a signed contract on file, and search engagement for that position, will be deemed unsolicited in nature, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired as a result of the referral or through other means. Additionally, any resume submitted without a contract in place will be considered property of Sun Chemical and no fees will be paid to the agency if the candidate is hired.

Note:

The base pay range listed is a good-faith estimate of what Sun Chemical may offer to new hires for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on a variety of factors, including the candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), relevant experience, education, certifications, and alignment with the minimum job qualifications. Additional considerations may include prevailing wages in the work location and internal equity within Sun Chemical.