Head of Global Category Management (f/m/d)

Hitachi ABB Power Grids; Kraków; Hybrid; PLN 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Pension plan

Life insurance

Healthcare allowance

Flexible working hours

Job summary

Hitachi Energy seeks a prominent Head of Global Category Management to own and drive global category strategies across a diverse supplier landscape, supporting manufacturing, installation, retrofit, testing and commissioning activities. You will lead regional teams, govern RFx processes, and build strategic supplier partnerships to enable cost leadership and resilience.

You will guide regional managers, shape negotiations and governance, and contribute to sustainability and risk mitigation while

Qualifications

• Degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Supply Chain Management or related field or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of strategic sourcing and/or global category management in a complex, international environment.
• Proven track record shaping and executing global sourcing strategies with measurable impact.
• Strong capability in leading negotiations, contractual frameworks and supplier partnerships at senior level.
• Analytical and able to translate data, market insights and risks into strategic recommendations.
• Clear communication and credibility with senior stakeholders across functions and regions.
• Experience operating in matrix organizations and leading without formal authority.
• Willingness to travel internationally to engage with suppliers and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Define, own and drive global category strategies aligned with business and technology roadmaps.
• Act as global functional lead for category management; set direction, frameworks and standards.
• Coordinate across regions and functions to ensure aligned sourcing decisions.
• Oversee cost structures, pricing trends and market dynamics for planning and competitiveness.
• Lead and govern complex, global RFx processes and supplier negotiations.
• Build executive-level relationships with strategic and critical suppliers.
• Contribute to SCM governance and risk mitigation for supply continuity.
• Support budget setting, target deployment and performance management globally.
• Identify supply chain risks and implement contingency strategies.
• Drive sustainability and responsible sourcing across categories.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Global category mgmt

Negotiations

Analytical

Stakeholder management

Matrix organizations

Travel

Education

Business Administration / Engineering / Supply Chain or related field

Job description

Head of Global Category Management (f/m/d)

We are looking for a Head of Global Category Management to define, own and drive global category strategies across a diverse supplier landscape supporting manufacturing, installation, retrofit, testing and commissioning activities at Hitachi Energy. In this enterprise-level role, you provide strategic direction, governance and end-to-end ownership of global categories, ensuring alignment with business priorities and enabling competitive advantage through cost leadership, resilience, sustainability and innovation.

You act as a functional authority for regional category managers and strategic buyers, steering execution through regional and local teams. This role carries global accountability and strong leadership expectations, requiring the ability to lead through influence. You also drive responsible sourcing, sustainability actions, and risk mitigation plans.

How you’ll make an impact

• You define, own and drive global category strategies aligned with business, market and technology roadmaps.
• You act as the global functional lead for category management within your scope, setting direction, frameworks and standards.
• You orchestrate collaboration across regions, business units and functions to ensure aligned sourcing decisions and execution.
• You provide strategic oversight of cost structures, pricing trends and market dynamics, supporting business planning and competitiveness.
• You lead and govern complex, global RFx processes and high-impact supplier negotiations.
• You build and maintain executive-level relationships with strategic and critical suppliers, fostering long-term partnerships.
• You apply and contribute to improve SCM tools, policies and governance to ensure business continuity and supply resilience.
• You contribute to budget setting, target deployment and sourcing performance management at a global level.
• You identify structural supply chain risks and ensure robust risk mitigation and contingency strategies are in place.
• You drive sustainability, responsible sourcing and compliance actions across your categories in line with company commitments.
• You lead through influence, guiding and empowering regional and local sourcing teams to elevate performance and maturity.

Your background

• You hold a degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Supply Chain Management or a related field, or possess equivalent professional experience.
• You bring 10+ years of experience in strategic sourcing and/or global category management within a complex, international environment.
• You have a proven track record of shaping and executing global sourcing strategies with measurable business impact.
• You demonstrate strong capability in leading complex negotiations, contractual frameworks and supplier partnerships at senior level.
• You are highly analytical, able to translate complex data, market insights and risks into clear strategic recommendations.
• You communicate with clarity and credibility and are comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders across functions and regions.
• You have experience operating successfully in matrix organizations, leading without formal authority.
• You are willing and able to travel internationally to engage with suppliers and stakeholders as required.

More About Us

We believe great work thrives in an environment where people feel genuinely supported andfairly rewarded. Our benefits are designed to create real value for every individual – fueling engagement, performance, and growth. By prioritizing well‑being, we build a workplace where personal and organizational success grow together.

Our benefits offering for our roles generally includes:

• Collective agreement, occupational pension & possibility of salary exchange to pension (for ITP1 and ITP2)
• Group life insurance and additional insurances.
• Flex-time and shortening of working hours in time bank
• Hybrid work& allowances for setting up a workplace at home (in agreement with line manager)
• Health care and wellness allowance
• Health insurance incl. dental, spectacles & contact lenses allowance (employee pay 140sek/month viasalary deduction)
• Psychological support program
• Supplementary compensation for parental leave
• Various trainings and education supporting employee development
• Internal career possibilities both within Sweden and globally
• Employee Benefit Portal with thousands of discounts and perks

The benefits listed above are an excerpt only and may vary depending on job grade, location and contract type. Eligibility is subject to local regulations.

Location Krakow, Lesser Poland, Poland;
Vaesteras, Vastmanland County, Sweden

Job type Full time

Work arrangement Hybrid

Experience Experienced

Job function Supply Chain

Contract Regular

Publication date 2026-09-08

Reference number R0123233

About Hitachi Energy

We are a global leader in electrification, powering the electricity era to meet the energy demands of today, and the next 25 years. As the energy arm of Hitachi Group, over three billion people depend on our pioneering, mission-critical technologies to power their daily lives.

With over a century of innovation, we are addressing the most urgent energy challenge of our time: driving the evolution of the world’s energy system to ensure abundant, secure, affordable, and sustainable power for today’s generation and the next.

With an unparalleled installed base in over 140 countries, we are the grid ecosystem partner across the utility, industry, data center, and transportation sectors. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ over 56,000 people in 60 countries and generate revenues of around $20 billion USD.