Software Category Manager - IT Procurement - onsite in the Netherlands

Next Ventures; Eindhoven; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Next Ventures seeks a Procurement Category Manager – Software Specialist in Eindhoven to lead software supplier relationships and drive category strategy on a contract basis until 1 May 2027. You'll partner with IT, Legal, Finance and Architecture to shape requirements, negotiate renewals, and optimize licensing models across a global vendor base in an international environment.

The role demands a seasoned procurement professional with deep software contract experience and strong stakeholder

Qualifications

• Master's degree required or equivalent.
• 5+ years in procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management.
• Proven track record negotiating software, SaaS, and enterprise technology contracts.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing global technology vendors.
• Confident influencer — able to challenge senior stakeholders constructively.
• Comfortable operating in complex, international, matrix organisations.
• Sharp analytical skills with the ability to turn data into actionable sourcing strategies.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Stakeholder Engagement: Build trusted relationships with IT and business leaders to understand software demand, technology roadmaps, and upcoming sourcing needs.
• Strategic Stakeholder Engagement: Engage early in the software lifecycle to shape requirements, evaluate alternatives, and maximise commercial outcomes.
• Strategic Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitate cross-functional decision-making across IT, Legal, Finance, Security, Architecture, and Software Asset Management.
• Software Category & Supplier Management: Own and manage a diverse portfolio of software suppliers.
• Software Category & Supplier Management: Develop and execute software category strategies with licensing models, commercial structures, and market trends.
• Software Category & Supplier Management: Establish governance frameworks and escalation paths to drive effective supplier collaboration.
• Negotiation & Contract Management: Lead commercial negotiations for software renewals, new purchases, and contract amendments.
• Negotiation & Contract Management: Build data-driven negotiation strategies using market intelligence and benchmarking.
• Negotiation & Contract Management: Negotiate comprehensive terms covering pricing, licensing metrics, SLAs, risk allocation, and scalability.
• Market Intelligence & Business Advisory: Analyse spend data and market trends to identify cost optimisation and consolidation opportunities.
• Market Intelligence & Business Advisory: Provide expert procurement advice to internal stakeholders on software investment decisions.
• Market Intelligence & Business Advisory: Contribute to long-term software sourcing strategies aligned with the organisation's technology objectives.

Skills

Masters degree

5+ years procurement experience

Software, SaaS & contracts

Stakeholder influence

Complex international matrix

Analytical skills

Education

Master's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Procurement, Economics, IT, Engineering, or a related field

Job description

Procurement Category Manager – Software Specialist

Eindhoven, Netherlands | Contract until 1 May 2027 |40 hrs/week

About the Role

Are you a seasoned procurement professional with deep expertise in software and enterprise technology contracts? We're looking for aProcurement Category Managerto join a world-leading industrial technology company's IT Procurement team on a contract basis.

In this high-impact role, you'll manage a portfolio of software suppliers, lead complex commercial negotiations, and work closely with senior stakeholders across IT, Legal, Finance, and Architecture — all within a dynamic, international environment.

What You'll Be Doing

Strategic Stakeholder Engagement

• Build trusted relationships with IT and business leaders to understand software demand, technology roadmaps, and upcoming sourcing needs
• Engage early in the software lifecycle to shape requirements, evaluate alternatives, and maximise commercial outcomes
• Facilitate cross-functional decision-making across IT, Legal, Finance, Security, Architecture, and Software Asset Management

Software Category & Supplier Management

• Own and manage a diverse portfolio of software suppliers
• Develop and execute software category strategies with a deep understanding of licensing models, commercial structures, and market trends
• Establish governance frameworks and escalation paths to drive effective supplier collaboration

Negotiation & Contract Management

• Lead commercial negotiations for software renewals, new purchases, and contract amendments
• Build data-driven negotiation strategies using market intelligence and benchmarking
• Negotiate comprehensive terms covering pricing, licensing metrics, SLAs, risk allocation, and scalability

Market Intelligence & Business Advisory

• Analyse spend data and market trends to identify cost optimisation and consolidation opportunities
• Provide expert procurement advice to internal stakeholders on software investment decisions
• Contribute to long-term software sourcing strategies aligned with the organisation's technology objectives

What We're Looking For

• Master's degreein Business, Supply Chain, Procurement, Economics, IT, Engineering, or a related field
• 5+ yearsof experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management
• Proven track record negotiatingsoftware, SaaS, and enterprise technology contracts
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing global technology vendors
• Confident influencer — able to challenge senior stakeholders constructively
• Comfortable operating incomplex, international, matrix organisations
• Sharp analytical skills with the ability to turn data into actionable sourcing strategies

This is a temporary worker role on payroll within the industrial manufacturing sector.