Senior Category Manager Software and Application Services

Yara International ASA; Oslo; On-site; NOK 1,008,000 - 1,312,000; Full time

Job summary

A global agricultural company in Oslo is seeking a Senior Category Manager for Software and Application Services. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of procurement experience and strong leadership capabilities to manage sourcing projects across various digital services. Responsibilities include developing category strategies, leading sourcing teams, maintaining supplier relationships, and conducting contract negotiations. This dynamic role offers opportunities for growth and exposure to senior management.

Benefits

Dynamic environment

Career development opportunities

Exposure to senior management

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of relevant procurement experience.
• Experience leading sourcing projects within global organizations.
• Proven ability to influence and build trusted relationships.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute category strategy for Software and Application Services.
• Lead flexible sourcing teams to deliver projects.
• Conduct contract negotiations and manage the approval process.

Skills

Leadership capabilities

Negotiation skills

Supplier relationship management

Influencing skills

Organizational skills

Cross-cultural collaboration

Education

Degree in Business or relevant discipline

Job description

Senior Category Manager Software and Application Services

We at Yara are part of a global network, collaborating to profitably and responsibly solve some of the world's key challenges - resource scarcity, food insecurity and environmental change.

About the Unit

At Yara International, we’ve been shaping the future of agriculture and sustainability since 1905. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Yara is a global company with a strong presence in over 60 countries across six continents, employing more than 17,000 people worldwide. We specialize in agricultural products, industrial solutions, and environmental innovations, all driven by a deep commitment to sustainable practices and ethical collaboration with farmers and partners around the globe. Our mission is bold and inspiring: to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet.

Within the Yara Global Production organization, the Procurement unit plays a vital role in the sourcing of key materials, goods and services, while managing global supply chain operations and maritime logistics. Our team of professionals based all over the world ensures reliable, cost-effective and sustainable supply to Yara’s global operations and services.

The Digital & Professional Services Procurement (D&PS) department has a total spend of more than 600 MUSD and is accountable for the sourcing of all Digital categories such as software, infrastructure and application services; as well as Professional services categories such as travel, HR, finance & accounting, consulting and legal services, and targeted real estate and facility management opportunities. Through innovative levers and close collaboration with key partners and the business units, they are supporting Yara to achieve its challenging future ambition and Procurement value goals. Due to the breadth of this domain, business and stakeholder intimacy, flexibility, cross-domain collaboration and rigorous prioritization are required to succeed in D&PS.

Responsibilities

As a Category Manager, you will work closely with the Sourcing and Category Managers in Digital & Professional Services (D&PS). You will be working with internal stakeholders across all areas of the company, as well as external stakeholders across multiple sectors in the domain of digital services. Your responsibilities will include:

• Develop, refine, and execute the category strategy for Software and Application Services, covering areas such as software licenses, SaaS, license maintenance and support, and application development and maintenance services.
• Lead a flexible pool of Sourcing Managers who deliver sourcing projects across the broader Digital and Professional Services (D&PS) domain, ensuring clear prioritisation, effective resource allocation, and consistent delivery of business value.
• Empower and develop team members by fostering ownership, collaboration, and continuous learning, while promoting best practices in sourcing and stakeholder engagement.
• Build close working relationships with your cross-functional stakeholders and lead a selection of D&PS initiatives, including business case development, to deliver value in line with Yara’s strategy.
• Work closely with regional procurement teams, notably in Brazil and BULA, to ensure alignment between global category strategies and local business requirements.
• Manage, maintain and develop relations with main D&PS suppliers and partners. Continuously look to improve vendor performance whilst also optimising the supplier cost base and innovation pipeline, and lead Supplier Performance processes for key suppliers across the business.
• Demonstrate perseverance and tenacity, and the ability to communicate compelling and well thought out solutions to complex problems.
• Conduct contract negotiations, tenders (RFP/RFI’s) and manage the contract review / approval / records management processes.
• In addition to delivering against common domain value targets, adopt a total cost of ownership mindset to drive new ways of working with the business and suppliers that add value.
• Contribute and adhere to procurement policies and procedures to improve the compliance agenda and drive best practices.

Profile

• Degree in Business related areas or other relevant disciplines
• Minimum 10 years of relevant procurement experience, ideally with experience leading sourcing projects and driving category strategies within complex, global organizations.
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities, including experience managing and developing teams across different countries and cultures, fostering collaboration, accountability, and performance.
• Structured, with good organizational skill, a service minded attitude and with a strong ability to work independently
• Proven ability to influence and build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, earning a high level of confidence through sound judgment, business acumen, and delivery focus. Commercial mindset with strong negotiation, contracting and supplier relationship management skills
• Bridge-builder with a collaborative, outcome-focused and pragmatic style
• Experience in working across cultural and geographical boundaries
• English fluency is a must

Additional Information

If you are a high performing individual, a team player with strong business acumen, drive and “can do attitude”, we would like to meet you.

In return, we offer a dynamic environment, senior management exposure, exciting responsibilities and great career development opportunities.

Ryan Ellen - Digital & Professional Services Director

Apply no later than

Thursday 4 December 2025

Knowledge grows through differences
Yara is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We believe that creating a diverse and inclusive work environment is not only the right thing, but also the smart thing to do. To deliver on this, Yara has firmly anchored Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) in our business strategy and has more than 400 employees worldwide involved in D&I ambassadors networks.

As part of our recruitment process, where permitted by local law, we may conduct reference and background checks. These checks will only be performed when deemed necessary for the nature of the job. Candidates will be informed by HR before any background checks are initiated.