Global Category Manager - Plant Equipment & Tooling, Indirect Procurement, Global

Vertiv; Dublin; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Vertiv is seeking an experienced Global Commodity Category Manager – Plant Equipment & Tooling to lead the global procurement strategy for production OEM equipment, specialised manufacturing equipment, tooling and related CAPEX investments across our manufacturing footprint.

The role partners with AME, Operations, Engineering and Finance to drive TCO optimisation and annual savings while ensuring CAPEX governance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Procurement, Engineering, Business, Supply Chain, Operations Management or related field.
• Minimum 8 years procurement experience, incl. CAPEX in manufacturing.
• Strong commercial acumen, contract negotiation and supplier management.
• Strategic thinking with experience in global commodity strategies.
• Experience managing complex global sourcing projects across regions.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management.
• Proficiency with ERP systems (Oracle) and MS Office.
• Willingness to travel ~25% globally.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement global sourcing strategies for CAPEX equipment, tooling and tooling assets.
• Drive standardisation and leverage volumes to maximise value across regions.
• Support expansion, automation and productivity through supplier engagement.
• Align procurement strategies with business objectives with Global AME and regional teams.
• Build and maintain a robust global supplier portfolio for equipment procurement.
• Lead RFQs, supplier evaluations, negotiations and contract execution.
• Establish and negotiate global framework agreements supporting leverage and regional needs.
• Manage supplier relationships and escalate critical performance or delivery issues.
• Deliver annual procurement savings targets and support productivity initiatives.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Contract negotiations

Supplier management

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Financial acumen

ERP proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Procurement/Engineering/Business

Tools

Oracle ERP

Microsoft Office

Job description

About the Role

Vertiv is seeking an experienced and strategic

Job Description

About the Role

Vertiv is seeking an experienced and strategic Global Commodity Category Manager – Plant Equipment & Tooling to lead the development and execution of our global procurement strategy for production OEM equipment, specialised manufacturing equipment, tooling, and related CAPEX investments across our global manufacturing footprint.

This role is responsible for driving a best-in-class global sourcing strategy while ensuring effective execution at regional and site level. The successful candidate will work closely with the Global Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (AME) Team, Regional CAPEX Procurement Leads, Operations, Engineering, Finance, and other cross-functional stakeholders to support Vertiv's manufacturing growth strategy.

The role focuses on delivering measurable value through Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) optimisation, supplier relationship management, risk mitigation, productivity improvements, and achievement of annual savings commitments while ensuring compliance with Vertiv's CAPEX Governance and Savings Policies.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement global sourcing strategies for CAPEX equipment, specialised manufacturing equipment and tooling.
• Drive standardisation and leverage global purchasing volumes to maximise value and commercial advantage across regions.
• Support manufacturing expansion, capacity growth, automation, and productivity initiatives through strategic supplier engagement.
• Partner with Global AME, Engineering, Operations, and regional procurement teams to align procurement strategies with business objectives.
• Build and maintain a robust global supplier portfolio for the procuring of equipment
• Lead complex RFQs, supplier evaluations, commercial negotiations, and contract execution.
• Establish and negotiate global framework agreements that support both global leverage and regional operational requirements.
• Manage strategic supplier relationships and act as the escalation point for critical supplier performance or delivery issues.
• Deliver annual procurement savings targets and support broader productivity initiatives.
• Drive Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) methodologies when evaluating sourcing decisions, including acquisition, operating, maintenance, lifecycle, and disposal costs.
• Monitor market trends, supplier capabilities, and industry developments to identify cost reduction and innovation opportunities.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with Vertiv's CAPEX Procurement Policy, Savings Policy, Delegation of Authority requirements, and applicable contracting standards.
• Support supplier onboarding, qualification, performance management, and audit activities.
• Ensure risk management considerations are incorporated into sourcing decisions including supply continuity, quality, delivery performance, and financial stability.

Required

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Procurement, Engineering, Business, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of procurement experience, including significant experience within CAPEX equipment procurement in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong commercial acumen, contract negotiation and supplier management experience.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, develop and execute global commodity or category strategies.
• Experience managing complex global sourcing projects involving multiple stakeholders and regions.
• Strong analytical, commercial, and financial acumen.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency with ERP systems such as Oracle and Microsoft Office applications.
• Approximately 25% global travel required.

About Us

The successful candidate will embrace Vertiv’s Core Principles & Behaviors to help execute our Strategic Priorities.

OUR CORE PRINCIPLES:

Safety. Integrity. Respect. Teamwork. Inclusion.

OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• High-Performance Culture
• Customer Focus
• Operational Excellence
• Innovation
• Financial Strength

VERTIV BEHAVIORS

• Own it
• Act with urgency
• Foster a customer-first mindset
• Think big and execute
• Lead by example
• Drive continuous improvement
• Learn and seek out development
• Promote transparent & open communication

About Vertiv

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers’ vital applications to run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today’s data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extend from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, USA, Vertiv employs around 34,000 people and does business in more than 130 countries. Visit Vertiv.com to learn more.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Vertiv is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We promote equal opportunities for all with respect to hiring, terms of employment, mobility, training, compensation, and occupational health, without discrimination as to age, race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression (including transgender status or sexual stereotypes), genetic information, citizenship status, national origin, protected veteran status, political affiliation, or disability. If you have a disability and are having difficulty accessing or using this website to apply for a position, you can request help by sending an email to [e-mail]