Global Category Manager - Electronic Components

Eaton; Netherlands; Hybrid; EUR 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Flexible work

Internal promotion

Eaton University

Wellbeing program

Sustainable energy focus

Job summary

Eaton is seeking a Global Category Manager to shape and execute global category strategies across a $600M spend portfolio. This Dublin-based role collaborates with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Logistics, and Commercial teams to optimize sourcing, drive cost-out, and enhance supply continuity.

The position requires broad experience in electronics manufacturing and supplier negotiations, with regional travel up to 25%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in electronics manufacturing, strategic sourcing, or category management of electronic components.
• Strong background in Category Management and strategic sourcing.
• Solid understanding of electronics manufacturing processes and quality requirements.
• Experience managing global supplier relationships, negotiations, and procurement strategies.
• Knowledge of continuous improvement frameworks is preferred.
• Proven Program Management experience, leading cross-functional and complex initiatives.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including team management and development.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to influence within a matrix organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead global category and sourcing strategies to drive Cost Out, DPO, Supplier Diversity Spend, Working Capital, Quality, Delivery, and Service performance while achieving business profit plan objectives.
• Develop and execute enterprise-wide sourcing initiatives that increase leverage, optimize the supply base, and deliver sustainable cost savings.
• Negotiate and manage strategic supplier contracts and relationships to maximize value, mitigate risk, and ensure supply continuity.
• Define and govern category strategies using market intelligence, should-cost analysis, RFQs, e-auctions, and supplier engagement programs.
• Lead regional and cross-functional teams to achieve procurement, operational, and transformation objectives through innovative, data-driven solutions.
• Drive supplier performance management, annual business reviews, and strategic negotiations with key suppliers.
• Benchmark procurement processes and implement best practices to improve efficiency, compliance, and enterprise-wide performance.
• Partner with business leaders and manufacturing sites to ensure uninterrupted supply at the most competitive total cost.

Skills

Electronics manufacturing

Strategic sourcing

Category management

Supplier management

Program management

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Unlock Your Potential at Eaton: Where Diversity Drives Innovation. No matter where you come from, your aspirations matter to us. We believe in the power of different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds to ignite innovation and drive success. We're in the business of empowering people, and that includes you. Your journey here is not just about a job; it's about a shared vision for a brighter, more sustainable future.

We are seeking a Category Manager to join our Global Purchasing Organization.

The Global Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing global category strategies that align with Eaton’s business objectives and supply chain priorities across a $600M spend portfolio. This role drives enterprise-wide value through strategic sourcing, supplier optimization, cost productivity, risk mitigation, quality improvement, supply continuity, and innovation.

As the global category expert, this individual provides leadership and market insight to business units and procurement teams, leveraging deep knowledge of suppliers, industry trends, and end markets to create sustainable competitive advantage. The Global Category Manager collaborates closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Logistics, and Commercial teams to support business growth, new product development, and operational excellence.

The position serves as the primary liaison between Eaton’s Global Purchasing Organization and business units worldwide, leading category strategy deployment, global supplier negotiations, stakeholder alignment, and executive-level reporting.

The role is accountable for delivering key performance metrics, including Cost Out, DPO, Working Capital, Supplier Diversity Spend, Quality, On-Time Delivery, Supply Resiliency, VAVE, and Supplier Innovation, while advancing Eaton’s One Supply Chain strategy and maximizing enterprise value through strategic supplier partnerships and category leadership.

Location: Dublin, Ireland (office-based with hybrid working options available).

Travel: Up to 25% regional and global travel required.

Flexible hybrid working model.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead global category and sourcing strategies to drive Cost Out, DPO, Supplier Diversity Spend, Working Capital, Quality, Delivery, and Service performance while achieving business profit plan objectives.
• Develop and execute enterprise-wide sourcing initiatives that increase leverage, optimize the supply base, and deliver sustainable cost savings.
• Negotiate and manage strategic supplier contracts and relationships to maximize value, mitigate risk, and ensure supply continuity.
• Define and govern category strategies using market intelligence, should-cost analysis, RFQs, e-auctions, and supplier engagement programs.
• Lead regional and cross-functional teams to achieve procurement, operational, and transformation objectives through innovative, data-driven solutions.
• Drive supplier performance management, annual business reviews, and strategic negotiations with key suppliers.
• Benchmark procurement processes and implement best practices to improve efficiency, compliance, and enterprise-wide performance.
• Partner with business leaders and manufacturing sites to ensure uninterrupted supply at the most competitive total cost.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in electronics manufacturing, strategic sourcing, or category management of electronic components.
• Strong background in Category Management and strategic sourcing.
• Solid understanding of electronics manufacturing processes and quality requirements.
• Experience managing global supplier relationships, negotiations, and procurement strategies.
• Knowledge of continuous improvement frameworks is preferred.
• Proven Program Management experience, leading cross-functional and complex initiatives.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including team management and development.
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to influence within a matrix organization.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation and benefits package
• Challenging projects in dynamic collaborative team
• Flexible working solutions
• We make your aspirations matter – Eaton encourages internal promotion, whenever possible
• We make your growth matter - We invest in our employees for the long term – not just with salary and benefits, but with ongoing learning and development opportunities made available through Eaton University
• We make your contributions matter - reliability, safety, efficiency, and sustainability are at the core of our dedication to improving people’s lives and the environment through power management technologies
• We make your wellbeing matter – We put your health and safety first. Wellness at Eaton is more than a program, it’s about changing the environment by offering the right tools to help empower employees to make that happen

All positions may require participation in video and in-person interviews as part of the hiring process. All candidates will be evaluated based on job-related competencies, and all candidates’ privacy rights and data security will be protected in accordance with applicable laws.

We are committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for job applicants and employees. Our recruitment processes use balanced selection criteria and avoid unlawful discrimination against applicants on the basis of their age, colour, disability, marital status, national origin, gender, gender identity, genetic information, race or racial origin, religion, sexual orientation or any other status protected or required by law.