Category Associate – Market Research

IND - 2028 Takeda Innovations India Private Limited; Bengaluru; Hybrid; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Hybrid work

Healthcare plans

Life and accident insurance

Employee assistance program

Learning platforms

DEI programs

Internet & mobile reimbursements

Leaves: paternity/maternity/bereavment

Job summary

Takeda is seeking an experienced Indirect Procurement professional to join our Bengaluru GCC, focusing on Market Research category strategy and value realization. You will work with category managers, business stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to drive cost savings, innovation, and risk management across global operations.

The role requires 10-12+ years in procurement, strong analytical skills, and expertise in supplier evaluations, contract administration, and strategic sourcing.

Qualifications

• 10-12+ years of experience in procurement or related field.
• Strong ability to develop and execute category strategy with stakeholder alignment.
• Experience with supplier evaluations, contract administration, and project delivery.
• Excellent analytical skills to interpret spend data and market intelligence.
• Knowledge of procurement principles, negotiations, and value creation.

Responsibilities

• Co-lead global Market Research category strategy and subcategories.
• Lead category initiatives from opportunity to value realization.
• Identify opportunities through spend analysis and market insights.
• Manage stakeholder relationships across global regions.
• Deliver category updates, supplier evaluations, and business cases.

Skills

Procurement

Category management

Strategic sourcing

Spend analysis

Market research

Supplier management

Contract administration

Project management

ERP systems (SAP Ariba)

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SAP Ariba

Wave

ERP platforms

Job description

Job Description

The Future Begins Here At Takeda, we are leading digital evolution and global transformation. By building innovative solutions and future-ready capabilities, we are meeting the need of patients, our people, and the planet. Bengaluru, the city, which is India’s epicenter of Innovation, has been selected to be home to Takeda’s recently launched Innovation Capability Center. We invite you to join our digital transformation journey. In this role, you will have the opportunity to boost your skills and become the heart of an innovative engine that is contributing to global impact and improvement. At Takeda’s GCC we Unite in Diversity Takeda is committed to creating an inclusive and collaborative workplace, where individuals are recognized for their backgrounds and abilities they bring to our company. We are continuously improving our collaborators journey in Takeda, and we welcome applications from all qualified candidates. Here, you will feel welcomed, respected, and valued as an important contributor to our diverse team.

About the Role:

This role is a member of Takeda’s Indirect Procurement team, supporting category strategy and execution through market and supplier insights, data-driven analysis, and effective delivery of procurement initiatives. Working with category managers, business stakeholders, and cross-functional teams, the role helps create enterprise value while advancing cost, innovation, sustainability, risk, and operational priorities.

How you will contribute:

• Co-lead development and execute the global Market Research category strategy, while independently owning assigned subcategories, initiatives and stakeholder relationships.
• Lead and support assigned category initiatives from opportunity identification through strategy development, sourcing, negotiation, implementation and value realization, in alignment with category objectives, governance standards and business priorities.
• Proactively identify opportunities across cost, innovation, risk, sustainability and operational performance through stakeholder engagement, spend analysis, supplier intelligence and market insights.
• Maintain a pipeline of initiatives and recommendations.
• Build and manage relationships with assigned global and regional stakeholders, translating business priorities into actionable procurement and category initiatives

Accountabilities:

• Partner with the Category Lead to develop, maintain and execute the global Market Research category strategy.
• Independently own assigned areas of the category, stakeholder relationships and strategic initiatives.
• Lead the development of category strategies and recommendations for assigned areas, incorporating stakeholder priorities, spend analysis, market intelligence, supplier capabilities and business needs.
• Lead assigned initiatives end to end, including opportunity identification, strategy development, sourcing, negotiation, contracting coordination, implementation, value tracking and issue resolution.
• Proactively identify and develop category and sourcing opportunities through stakeholder engagement, spend analysis, supplier intelligence, market research and category insights.
• Maintain an actionable pipeline of opportunities and recommendations.
• Establish and independently manage relationships with assigned global and regional stakeholders.
• Understand business priorities and translate business needs into actionable procurement and category initiatives.
• Develop and deliver category updates, recommendations, supplier evaluations and business cases to Procurement and business stakeholders, including senior stakeholders as appropriate.
• Lead category, stakeholder and supplier meetings, including development of agendas, recommendations, decisions, actions and follow through.
• Lead assigned supplier selection, onboarding, segmentation, negotiations, governance, performance management, compliance and risk management activities in alignment with category strategies and procurement standards.
• Operate with a high degree of independence within approved category strategies and governance.
• Drive day to day decisions and elevate material commercial, risk or strategic matters when appropriate.
• Collaborate with the Value Delivery Team, Takeda Business Solutions, Finance, Legal, regional Procurement teams and other cross‑functional partners to ensure execution, implementation and realization of procurement value.

Education, Behaviors, Competencies, Skills:

Education: Bachelor degree Relevant academic background preferred

Behavioral: As members of Global Procurement, you are expected to demonstrate ways of working that support our strategic ambition and shape how we create value for Takeda. You will contribute to a procurement function that: Shapes strategy upstream through close business partnership Deliver total enterprise value beyond savings Takes ownership of spend and outcomes end to end Uses curiosity, insights, and data to drive better decisions These principles define how we partner with the business, our suppliers, and each other. Role-specific examples of these behaviors are embedded throughout the objectives, accountability, and skills outlined in this job description.

Competencies and skills:

• 10-12+ years of experience in procurement, category management, strategic sourcing, supply chain, or a related business function
• Understanding of category management, sourcing, supplier management, and procurement processes, with the ability to support category strategy execution
• Experience supporting category activities, supplier evaluations, contract administration, and procurement project delivery
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret spend data, market intelligence, supplier information, and performance metrics to support business decisions
• Solid commercial and financial acumen and understanding of procurement principles, including supplier negotiations, cost drivers, and value creation opportunities
• Subject‑matter expertise in Market Research related spend categories, or similar categories, in healthcare, biotech or pharmaceutical industry.
• Ability to conduct market research and develop insights on supplier markets, industry trends, and competitive dynamics
• Strong stakeholder collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across procurement, business finance, legal, and operational teams
• Demonstrated learning agility and continuous improvement mindset, with an interest in developing category expertise and leveraging digital, automation, and AI‑enabled solutions
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, matrixed environment
• Proven project management skills, including planning, execution, stakeholder alignment, risk management, and delivery of strategic sourcing projects across multiple business functions
• Experience working with ERP systems and procurement platforms such as SAP Ariba, Wave, or equivalent solutions to support sourcing, pipeline management, and supplier engagement
• Fluent written and spoken English
• Flexibility to participate in occasional meetings and presentations across global time zones is required, with primary collaboration aligned to India-based working hours.

BENEFITS:

It is our priority to provide competitive compensation and a benefit package that bridges your personal life with your professional career. Amongst our benefits are:

• Competitive Salary + Performance Annual Bonus
• Flexible work environment, including hybrid working
• Comprehensive Healthcare Insurance Plans for self, spouse, and children
• Group Term Life Insurance and Group Accident Insurance programs
• Employee Assistance Program
• Broad Variety of learning platforms
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs
• Reimbursements – Home Internet & Mobile Phone Employee Referral Program
• Leaves – Paternity Leave (4 Weeks) , Maternity Leave (up to 26 weeks), Bereavement Leave (5 calendar days)

ABOUT GCC IN TAKEDA:

Takeda is leading a digital revolution. We’re not just transforming our company; we’re improving the lives of millions of patients who rely on our medicines every day. As an organization, we are committed to our cloud‑driven business transformation and believe the GCCs are the catalysts of change for our global organization.

#Li-Hybrid Locations IND - Bengaluru

Worker Type Employee Worker Sub-Type Regular Time Type Full time

Takeda is an industry-leading, global pharmaceutical company with an unwavering dedication to putting patients at the center of everything we do. We live our values of Takeda-ism – Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, and Perseverance – and are united by our mission to strive towards Better Health and a Brighter Future for people worldwide through leading innovation in medicine. Here, everyone matters and you will be a vital contributor to our inspiring, bold mission. At Takeda, you will make an impact on people’s lives – including your own.

Takeda is an equal opportunity employer.