Global Procurement Category Manager - Raw Materials - NL

SCM Portal Ltd; Amsterdam; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

1st Executive Ltd is seeking a Global Procurement Category Manager for Raw Materials in Amsterdam to own a strategically important portfolio with significant international exposure. You will shape a multi-year strategy, negotiate with major suppliers and drive value across 12 production sites worldwide.

The role emphasizes commercial acumen, market analysis, and ownership of category performance in a dynamic, capital-intensive environment with a focus on sustainability and digital procurement

Qualifications

• Strong strategic sourcing and category management experience in international manufacturing environments.
• Experience managing significant raw material or commodity spend.
• Solid understanding of capital-intensive supplier business models, including production economics and pricing drivers.
• Proven ability to develop and implement category strategies independently.

Responsibilities

• Create, develop and execute a multi-year global category strategy for raw materials.
• Take full commercial ownership of a large international spend portfolio.
• Analyse market dynamics, pricing trends and supplier business models to strengthen commercial positioning.
• Lead complex negotiations with major industrial suppliers and develop robust contracts.
• Drive supplier performance, risk management and long-term supply resilience.

Job description

Global Procurement Category Manager - Raw Materials - NL

Global Procurement Category Manager - Strategic Raw Materials

€100m+ Global Spend | International Manufacturing | Amsterdam, Netherlands

Are you a commercially driven Category Manager who understands what really drives supplier pricing, market dynamics and competitive advantage?

I'm supporting an established international manufacturing group in the search for a Global Procurement Category Manager to take ownership of a strategically important raw materials portfolio.

This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys the commercial complexity of global commodity markets, understands the economics of capital intensive suppliers and wants the autonomy to shape and deliver a category strategy with genuine business impact.

Importantly, we're open to different commodity backgrounds. What matters most is your ability to understand sophisticated supplier markets, develop effective sourcing strategies and manage significant spend in an international manufacturing environment.

The Opportunity

You will take ownership of a global raw materials portfolio representing approximately €100m in annual spend.

Working closely with senior procurement leadership and stakeholders across Manufacturing, Finance, R&D and Supply Chain, you will have considerable autonomy to shape the category's direction and deliver long term commercial value.

This is much more than managing contracts and supplier relationships. You will be expected to understand the market, challenge established approaches and take genuine ownership of category performance.

What You'll Be Doing

Create, develop and execute a multi-year global category strategy, identifying opportunities across cost, supply security, supplier partnerships and innovation.

Take full commercial ownership of a significant international spend portfolio.

Understand supplier business models, production economics, capacity constraints and the external factors influencing pricing.

Analyse commodity markets, pricing trends, supply and demand dynamics and opportunities to strengthen commercial positioning.

Lead complex negotiations with major industrial suppliers, developing strategic partnerships and robust contractual frameworks.

Explore opportunities around price risk management, index linked contracts and potential hedging strategies.

Work closely with manufacturing and technical stakeholders across 12 international production sites.

Drive supplier performance, risk management and long term supply resilience.

Contribute to an exciting procurement transformation programme, including the introduction of a new AI enabled Source-to-Pay platform.

Support sustainability initiatives, including responsible sourcing, circularity and carbon reduction.

What We're Looking For

We're particularly interested in experienced procurement professionals who have managed significant commodity or raw material spend within complex industrial markets.

You may come from chemicals, metals, steel, polymers, petrochemicals, industrial materials or another commodity driven manufacturing environment.

The key is your commercial understanding of how these markets and suppliers operate.

Ideally, you'll bring:

Strong strategic sourcing and category management experience within international manufacturing.

Experience managing significant raw material or commodity spend.

A solid understanding of capital intensive supplier business models, including production economics, capacity utilisation, market pricing and cost drivers.

Proven ability to develop and implement category strategies independently.

Experience negotiating complex commercial agreements with major industrial manufacturers.

Strong analytical skills and the ability to translate market intelligence into commercial decisions.

The confidence to challenge suppliers, influence senior stakeholders and take accountability for results.

A proactive, commercially curious mindset with a genuine sense of ownership.

Experience with commodity hedging, price risk management or index linked pricing structures would be a significant advantage, although not essential.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

Real ownership: Take responsibility for a substantial global spend portfolio with the freedom to shape category strategy.

Commercial complexity: Work with sophisticated industrial suppliers in markets where pricing, capacity and supply dynamics genuinely matter.

International exposure: Influence procurement strategy across 12 manufacturing sites worldwide.

Strategic visibility: Work closely with senior leadership and cross functional stakeholders.

Transformation: Play a role in modernising procurement through digitalisation, AI and advanced analytics.

Long term impact: Deliver measurable value through commercial strategy, supplier development and sustainable sourcing.

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Travel: Approximately 20% internationally

Language: Fluent English required. Dutch would be advantageous.