Direct Procurement Excellence & Category Manager

Roche; Sant Cugat del Vallès; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Roche in Spain seeks an experienced Procurement Excellence & Category Manager to lead direct category management while driving digital transformation across Source-to-Pay workflows. You will partner with Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service to optimize supplier negotiations and contract execution.

The role emphasizes AI, data analytics, and process automation to enhance spend visibility, KPI dashboards, and governance.

Qualifications

• University degree in Business Admin, Engineering, or Life Sciences.
• 5+ years in multinational procurement with direct categories.
• Fluent English and Spanish required.

Responsibilities

• Direct Category Management & commercial Sourcing: end-to-end management of Direct Procurement categories.
• Lead digital modernization of S2P workflows using AI and automation.
• Drive spend visibility with dashboards and KPI tracking.
• Optimize Source-to-Pay processes and ensure governance.

Skills

Category Management

Data Analytics

AI & Automation

S2P Process

Procurement Negotiations

Stakeholder Management

Education

University degree in Business/Engineering/Life Sciences

MBA or CIPS certification desirable

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

SAP

Vendor Portals

Job description

At Roche you can show up as yourself, embraced for the unique qualities you bring. Our culture encourages personal expression, open dialogue, and genuine connections, where you are valued, accepted and respected for who you are, allowing you to thrive both personally and professionally. This is how we aim to prevent, stop and cure diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Join Roche, where every voice matters.

The Position

The Opportunity

Are you an experienced procurement professional with strong commercial acumen, proven ability to navigate complex organizational processes, and a passion for driving digital transformation through AI, data analytics, and process automation? As our Procurement Excellence & Category Manager, you will play a dual-impact role: managing direct operational procurement categories while leading the digital modernization of our Source-to-Pay (S2P) workflows.

In this role, you will act as a Category Manager for assigned third-party commercial portfolios (engaging directly with commercial teams, suppliers, and public tenders) while serving as the team’s digital champion, leveraging AI, BI analytics, and process automation to streamline procurement operations and enhance agility across highly interconnected business functions.

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Direct Category Management & Commercial Sourcing: End-to-end management of assigned Direct Procurement categories. Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service to support public tenders, conduct market intelligence, lead supplier negotiations, and execute commercial contracts
• Digital Transformation & AI Integration: Spearhead the adoption of digital technologies, AI-driven tools, and process automation across procurement workflows. Identify manual bottlenecks in S2P operations and implement modern digital solutions to reduce cycle times and eliminate administrative friction
• Procurement Insights & Data Analytics: Drive spend visibility and data quality across company’s systems. Build executive dashboards, track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and deliver predictive spend intelligence to support strategic business decisions
• Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement: Lead business process re-engineering initiatives across the Source-to-Pay cycle. Design streamlined, "fit-for-purpose" workflows that enhance commercial agility while respecting corporate governance standards
• Supplier Relationship & Performance Management: Manage operational relationships and commercial performance for key category suppliers, driving continuous value, cost optimization, and service level adherence

Who You Are

We are seeking a highly analytical, commercially savvy procurement professional with proven Category Management experience and expertise in leveraging data, automation, and AI to transform ways of working within complex, matrixed business environments.

Requirements & Hard Skills:

• Education: University degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Life Sciences, or related field. Master’s degree / MBA or procurement certifications (e.g., CIPS) are desirable
• Multinational & Complex Process Experience: Proven experience in multinational corporations navigating complex, highly regulated business environments with multi-stakeholder workflows, cross-functional touchpoints, and matrix organization dynamics.
• Procurement & Commercial Acumen (5+ years): Solid hands-on experience managing operational Direct/Commercial Procurement categories, executing supplier negotiations, managing contracts, and supporting commercial teams/tenders
• Data Analytics, Digital & AI Expertise: Advanced proficiency in BI and spend analytics tools (Tableau, PowerBI), ERP systems (SAP), and vendor portals. Proven experience in business process re-engineering, workflow automation, and adopting AI-driven solutions to optimize procurement operations
• S2P Process Knowledge: Deep understanding of Source-to-Pay end-to-end cycles, purchasing controls, and spend management frameworks
• Languages: Business-level fluency in English and Spanish is required (written and spoken)

Soft Skills & Mindset:

• Analytical & Strategic Thinking: Outstanding ability to turn complex spend data into actionable commercial insights and strategic category plans
• Digital Champion & Change Agent: Strong drive to challenge status-quo workflows, embrace new technologies (AI/automation), and lead operational change
• Pragmatic & Business-Oriented: Ability to balance commercial speed and execution agility with necessary corporate controls
• Collaborative Influencer & Stakeholder Management: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with a proven ability to build cross-functional partnerships, influence diverse internal stakeholders, and drive alignment across complex organizational matrix structures. Demonstrated capability in managing supplier relationships, negotiating value, and navigating conflicting priorities to deliver shared business objectives

Who we are

A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together, more than 100’000 employees across the globe are dedicated to advance science, ensuring everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Our efforts result in more than 26 million people treated with our medicines and over 30 billion tests conducted using our Diagnostics products. We empower each other to explore new possibilities, foster creativity, and keep our ambitions high, so we can deliver life-changing healthcare solutions that make a global impact.

Let’s build a healthier future, together.

Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer.