Category Associate – Maintenance & Spare Parts

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.; Łódź; On-site; PLN 170,000 - 233,000; Full time

Job summary

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. in Łódź, Poland, is seeking a proactive procurement specialist to support category strategy and execution through market insights, data-driven analysis, and cross-functional collaboration.

You will work with category managers, business stakeholders, and Takeda Business Solutions to drive cost optimization, sustainability, risk management, and supplier governance across multiple value levers.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in procurement, category management, strategic sourcing, supply chain, or related function.
• Understanding of category management, sourcing, supplier management, and procurement processes.
• Experience supporting category activities, supplier evaluations, contract administration, and procurement project delivery.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret spend data, market intelligence, supplier information, and performance metrics.

Responsibilities

• Support the development and execution of category strategies with market insights and supplier analysis.
• Coordinate and execute category initiatives aligned with governance requirements and business priorities.
• Prepare category documentation, supplier evaluations, business cases, and recommendations.

Skills

Procurement

Category management

Data analysis

Project management

Stakeholder collaboration

Digital/Ai-enabled solutions

Education

Bachelor degree

Relevant academic background preferred

Tools

SAP Ariba

Wave

Job description

Job Description

This role is a member of Takeda’s Technical Investments Procurement team, supporting category strategy and execution through market and supplier insights, data-driven analysis, and effective delivery of procurement initiatives. Working with category managers, business stakeholders, and cross-functional teams, the role helps create enterprise value while advancing cost, innovation, sustainability, risk, and operational priorities.

How you will contribute:

• Support the development and execution of category strategies by delivering category initiatives, market insights, and supplier analysis that contribute to enterprise value creation
• Execute category activities and procurement projects in alignment with category objectives, governance standards, and business priorities
• Identify opportunities across multiple value levers such as cost, innovation, risk, sustainability, and operational performance through data analysis, market intelligence, and supplier engagement
• Collaborate with Category Managers, Value Delivery Team, Takeda Business Solutions, business stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to ensure effective execution of category plans and realization of procurement value

Accountabilities:

• Contribute and/or lead the development and execution of category strategies by conducting market research, spend analysis, supplier assessments, and category intelligence activities
• Coordinate and execute category initiatives and procurement projects aligned with category objectives, business priorities, and governance requirements
• Prepare category documentation, supplier evaluations, business cases, and recommendations to support category decision-making
• Analyze spend data, supplier performance metrics, market trends, and commercial information to identify value creation opportunities and support category planning
• Contribute and/or lead supplier selection, onboarding, segmentation, and performance management activities in alignment with category strategies and procurement standards
• Maintain knowledge of supplier markets, emerging technologies, industry trends, and competitive dynamics to provide actionable insights to category teams
• Collaborate with Value Delivery Team, Takeda Business Solutions and business stakeholders to support execution of category initiatives and ensure stakeholder alignment
• Contribute to value delivery through identification of cost optimization, innovation, sustainability, responsible sourcing, risk reduction, and process improvement opportunities
• Contribute and/or lead supplier governance, contract administration, compliance activities, and risk management processes to ensure effective supplier oversight
• Utilize procurement technologies, analytics tools, and digital solutions to improve efficiency, maintain data quality, and support continuous improvement of category management practices

Education, Behaviors, Competencies, Skills:

Education:

• Bachelor degree
• Relevant academic background preferred

Behavioral:

As members of Global Procurement, you are expected to demonstrate ways of working that support our strategic ambition and shape how we create value for Takeda. You will contribute to a procurement function that:

• Shapes strategy upstream through close business partnership
• Deliver total enterprise value beyond savings
• Takes ownership of spend and outcomes end to end
• Uses curiosity, insights, and data to drive better decisions

These principles define how we partner with the business, our suppliers, and each other. Role-specific examples of these behaviors are embedded throughout the objectives, accountability, and skills outlined in this job description.

Competencies and skills:

• 4+ years of experience in procurement, category management, strategic sourcing, supply chain, or a related business function
• Understanding of category management, sourcing, supplier management, and procurement processes, with the ability to support category strategy execution
• Experience supporting category activities, supplier evaluations, contract administration, and procurement project delivery
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret spend data, market intelligence, supplier information, and performance metrics to support business decisions
• Solid commercial and financial acumen and understanding of procurement principles, including supplier negotiations, cost drivers, and value creation opportunities
• Subject-matter expertise in Maintenance & Spare Parts related spend categories, or similar categories, in healthcare, biotech or pharmaceutical industry.
• Ability to conduct market research and develop insights on supplier markets, industry trends, and competitive dynamics
• Strong stakeholder collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across procurement, business, finance, legal, and operational teams
• Demonstrated learning agility and continuous improvement mindset, with an interest in developing category expertise and leveraging digital, automation, and AI-enabled solutions
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, matrixed environment
• Proven project management skills, including planning, execution, stakeholder alignment, risk management, and delivery of strategic sourcing projects across multiple business functions
• Experience working with ERP systems and procurement platforms such as SAP Ariba, Wave, or equivalent solutions to support sourcing, pipeline management, and supplier engagement
• Fluent written and spoken English

Locations

Lodz, Poland

Base Salary Range:

zł169,600.00 - zł233,200.00

The estimated salary range reflects an anticipated range for this position. The actual base salary offered may depend on a variety of factors, including the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time