Category Director IT - Software & Cloud (all genders)

Philips; Eindhoven; Hybrid; EUR 93,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual incentive

Health and well-being programs

Personal development budget

25 days annual leave

Pension plan

Employee share purchase program

Job summary

Philips is seeking a Category Director IT - Software & Cloud to shape procurement strategy for software and cloud globally. You will lead cross-functional teams and collaborate with senior stakeholders to turn strategic opportunities into lasting value while managing supplier relationships and complex negotiations.

The role requires 10+ years in IT procurement, a Master’s in a related field, and the ability to influence CIO-level stakeholders across APAC, Europe, and North America.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business, Procurement, Supply Chain Management, or equivalent discipline.
• 10+ years of procurement IT category experience in large, international organizations, including leading managers and multi-layered teams.
• Ability to create and deliver category strategy for a large global spend area.
• Deep software and cloud procurement/category expertise; generic procurement experience alone is not sufficient.
• Strong track record in complex negotiations, generating savings, defending commercial positions, and managing long-term strategic supplier relationships.
• Experience influencing senior Enterprise IT and CIO-level stakeholders in high-visibility environments.

Responsibilities

• Create strategic impact by initiating, organizing, and implementing breakthrough category strategies, programs, and policies to drive transformative change and deliver measurable business results.
• Evaluate and define procurement goals and objectives for the assigned market or region, considering market dynamics, business requirements, and stakeholder needs.
• Identify and evaluate potential suppliers, conduct thorough assessments of capabilities, quality standards, and cost-effectiveness to ensure alignment with Philips’ requirements.
• Oversee the negotiation of contracts and agreements with suppliers to secure favorable terms and conditions, including pricing, delivery schedules, and quality standards.
• Lead cross-functional teams to program-manage the execution of supply base change projects through funnel and Source2Contract RfX event management, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Plan and implement negotiation roadmaps with suppliers; manage supplier relationships, performance, and contracting based on clear targets and ongoing business review meetings with key suppliers.
• Drive Design for Excellence (DFX) continuously, understanding internal business processes and functional strategies to optimize category performance and enhance operational efficiency.

Skills

Category management

Supplier relationship management

Cross-functional leadership

Negotiation

Strategy development

Stakeholder influence

Program management

Education

Master’s degree in Business or equivalent

Tools

Source2Contract

RFx

Job description

Job Title

Category Director IT - Software & Cloud (all genders)

Job Description

Shape the future of technology procurement at Philips. Take ownership of a high-impact global category, influence senior leaders, and turn bold strategies into meaningful business results while working with some of the world’s most recognized technology partners.

In this influential global role, you will shape procurement strategy for software and cloud, build trusted partnerships with leading technology suppliers, and guide cross-functional teams through complex transformation. You will work closely with senior stakeholders to turn commercial opportunities into lasting value for Philips.

Internal Philips title: Category Manager IT - Software & Cloud

Your role:

• Create strategic impact by initiating, organizing, and implementing breakthrough category strategies, programs, and policies to drive transformative change and deliver measurable business results.




• Evaluate and define procurement goals and objectives for the assigned market or region, considering market dynamics, business requirements, and stakeholder needs.




• Identify and evaluate potential suppliers, conduct thorough assessments of capabilities, quality standards, and cost-effectiveness to ensure alignment with Philips’ requirements.




• Oversee the negotiation of contracts and agreements with suppliers to secure favorable terms and conditions, including pricing, delivery schedules, and quality standards.




• Manage the execution of category funnel measures (QxP), collaborating with assigned supplier account managers, project managers and relevant stakeholders.




• Execute supply base optimization actions to enhance supplier-enabled innovation and optimize the supply base in alignment with stakeholders.




• Plan and implement negotiation roadmaps with suppliers; manage supplier relationships, performance, and contracting based on clear targets and ongoing business review meetings with key suppliers.




• Lead cross-functional teams to program-manage the execution of supply base change projects through funnel and Source2Contract RfX event management, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.




• Ensure operational impact through fully compliant supplier selection, contracting, and risk management for all category-related suppliers, mitigating risks and ensuring continuity of supply.




• Drive Design for Excellence (DFX) continuously, understanding internal business processes and functional strategies to optimize category performance and enhance operational efficiency.

You’re the right fit if:

• You hold a Master’s degree in Business, Procurement, Supply Chain Management, or equivalent discipline, or bring an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.




• You bring extensive experience (10+ years) within procurement IT category in large, complex and international organizations, including experience leading managers and multi-layered teams.




• You have demonstrated the ability to create and deliver category strategy for a large global spend area.




• You have deep software and cloud procurement/category expertise; generic procurement experience alone is not sufficient.




• You bring a strong track record in complex negotiations, generating savings, defending commercial positions, and managing long-term strategic supplier relationships.




• You have experience influencing senior Enterprise IT and CIO-level stakeholders in high-visibility environments.




• You can act as the de facto daily leader of a 10+ person virtual team without formal line-management authority, including work allocation, delivery coordination, governance, and reporting.




• You bring a positive attitude and resilience in a complex, pressured, rapidly changing environment.




• You are flexible to work across APAC, Europe, and North American time zones when needed; this does not mean excessive daily working hours.




• You demonstrate career stability and motivation to stay and develop in the role.

Compensation& Benefits

Doing meaningful work should come with fair, transparent rewards. The base salary range for this role is€93,049.00 – €155,081.00.We determine pay within the range using objective factors, like the skills the role requires, your relevant experience and the responsibility you’ll have in this role, alongside internal equity and local market considerations.This role is eligible forannual incentive,with your rewards linked to KPIs/company results.We’ll share the full approach with you during the interview process, so you can make a clear, informed decision.

Benefits include:

• Health and well-being programs: to support you mentally and physically, allowing you to stay energized and be your best at work and beyond;




• Career growth: access to a wide range of tools and resources to further your career, including a personal development budget, training and coaching;




• Annual leave: 25 days with the option of purchasing up to 20 extra days per year;




• Financial incentive: individual bonus based on personal performance and/or Philips’ annual results;




• Additional benefits: solid company pension scheme, attractive collective health insurance package and opportunity to buy Philips shares and products with a discount.

How we work together
We believe that we are better together than apart. For our office-based teams, this means working in-person at least 3 days per week. Onsite roles require full-time presence in the company’s facilities. Field roles are most effectively done outside of the company’s main facilities, generally at the customers’ or suppliers’ locations.

About Philips
Are you ready to do the work of your life to help the lives of others? Learn more about our business, discover our rich and exciting history and learn more about our purpose.
If you’re interested in this role and have many, but not all, of the experiences needed, we encourage you to apply. You may still be the right candidate for this or other opportunities at Philips. Learn more about our culture of impact with care.

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