Category Manager

Huisman Equipment B.V.; Schiedam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension plan

Bonus scheme

Holiday entitlement 29 days + 10 days

Bicycle scheme

Company events

Job summary

Huisman Equipment B.V. is seeking a Senior Category Manager to guide indirect and operational spend across our global operations.

You will drive strategic sourcing, supplier relationships, contract optimization and governance to deliver measurable value while mitigating risk. You will collaborate with Finance, IT, Engineering, Production, Quality and Legal to translate business needs into effective procurement strategies, ensuring cost savings and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a related field.
• 8+ years in strategic procurement or category management.
• Proven experience leading sourcing projects and negotiations.
• Strong analytical, communication and stakeholder skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategies for indirect and operational spend.
• Lead competitive tender processes and supplier negotiations.
• Drive procurement governance, risk mitigation and value creation.
• Collaborate with Finance, HR, IT, Engineering, Production, Quality and Legal.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings, process improvements and sustainability.

Skills

Strategic procurement

Supplier negotiations

Contract management

Stakeholder management

Analytical mindset

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Supply Chain Management / Business / Engineering / Economics or related field

Job description

Vacancy: Category Manager who is ‘equipped for impact’

Do you want to be part of a globally operating team of innovators? Do you want to contribute to the energy transition? Do you also think bigger than big? And, do you have what it takes to make an impact? Then we might be looking for you. Find out more about our vacancy for Category Manager

About our organisation

We are Huisman. We develop step changing technical solutions and translate these into the design and construction of the largest onshore and offshore installations. For decades, we have been working all over the world for offshore wind, geothermal, oil & gas, leisure and civil industries.

With our passionate workforce and worldwide production, service & sales facilities we are equipped for impact in these times of energy transition.

“Our impact? Always coming up with innovative solutions.”

About the position of Category Manager

What to expect from the Category Manager position within Huisman?

As a Senior Category Manager, you are responsible for developing and executing category strategies for indirect and operational spend across Huisman. In this strategic role, you create business value through strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, contract optimization, risk mitigation and procurement governance.

You will lead complex sourcing initiatives, manage competitive tender processes and negotiate strategic supplier agreements that contribute to the company's strategic, financial and operational objectives. By building strong supplier relationships and monitoring supplier performance, you ensure continuous improvement, supply continuity and sustainable value creation.

Working closely with stakeholders across Finance, HR, IT, Facility Management, Engineering, Production, Quality and Legal, you translate business requirements into effective procurement strategies. You provide market intelligence and strategic procurement advice, helping the business make informed sourcing decisions while identifying opportunities for cost savings, cost avoidance and process improvements.

In addition, you play an important role in strengthening procurement governance, compliance and sustainable procurement practices. You proactively identify commercial and supply chain risks and develop strategies to improve resilience across your categories.

This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact by continuously improving procurement performance and contributing to the long‑term success of Huisman's global operations.

What do we expect of you?

You are an experienced procurement professional with a strategic mindset and a strong commercial focus. You enjoy working with stakeholders across different disciplines and know how to translate business needs into effective procurement strategies.

You also have:

• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, Economics or a related field.
• At least 8 years of experience in strategic procurement or category management.
• Proven experience leading strategic sourcing projects, supplier negotiations and contract management.
• Strong analytical skills combined with excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience within an industrial, manufacturing, Engineer‑to‑Order (ETO), offshore, energy or capital equipment environment is highly preferred.
• A professional procurement qualification such as NEVI 2 or CIPS is an advantage.
• Excellent command of the English language, both written and spoken.

Wondering if you are 'equipped for impact'?

You think strategically and act commercially. You are able to develop category strategies that create measurable business value while balancing commercial, operational and supply chain objectives.

You build strong relationships with both internal stakeholders and strategic suppliers and are comfortable influencing senior stakeholders across the organisation. Your communication skills allow you to translate procurement challenges into practical business solutions and successfully manage complex negotiations.

You enjoy analysing markets, identifying opportunities and driving continuous improvement. Whether it concerns supplier performance, procurement governance, sustainability or process optimisation, you continuously look for ways to strengthen procurement performance and reduce business risks.

You remain effective in a dynamic environment where priorities can change and multiple strategic initiatives run simultaneously. With your analytical mindset and structured approach, you make well‑founded decisions and maintain focus on delivering long‑term value.

Above all, you are driven to create sustainable business value. You combine commercial insight with strong stakeholder management and leadership capabilities to optimise supplier partnerships, improve procurement performance and contribute to the long‑term competitiveness and success of Huisman.

Some practical things we need you to have:

• An EU passport/valid work permit for The Netherlands;
• Think big and make big, all in one location. At Huisman Schiedam, both our office and production facilities are based on a single site.
• An open, informal and no‑nonsense culture with short lines of communication.
• An international working environment with ample opportunities for career progression and personal development.
• An excellent benefits package tailored to your experience and qualifications.
• A minimum of 29 holiday days (based on full‑time employment) with the option to purchase an additional 10 days.
• Participation in a collective pension scheme in line with the Wtp.
• Eligibility for a bonus scheme.
• Access to collective health insurance, with Huisman contributing as your employer.
• Take advantage of tax benefits through our bicycle scheme.
• Huisman organises sporting activities, such as a ski trip, as well as various social events, including large‑scale company parties where colleagues come together and get to know each other better.

Does this sound like you?

Apply online for the position of Category Manager by using the apply button at the bottom of this page. We are curious to see what kind of impact you will make.

Still need a bit more info or looking for something that suits you better?

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Job details

• Full‑time
• Professional
• Schiedam, NL