Senior Global Category Manager (Logistics)

The Global Category Manager is responsible for developing and executing procurement strategies with 3rd party suppliers in support of Fresenius Medical Care’s One Procurement strategy. Responsible for category management, strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, contracting, and ongoing supplier management for assigned category. Coordinates with Procurement Partner(s) and key stakeholders to ensure alignment of procurement strategies. Acts as an ambassador of Procurement and a champion in the function for all Procurement policies, processes and tools to ensure compliance.

Strategy Execution

• Drive, develop, and implement multi-year category (sub-category) plans for the assigned category, including demand aggregation, definition of buying channels, strategic relationship management, and supplier risk management.

Business Partnering

• Identifies key stakeholders and acts as Business Partner to them. Becomes a trusted advisor for key suppliers, and senior stakeholders for strategic advice and counsel.
• Identifies business priorities and objectives, deducts procurement actions and suggests strategic approach as input to category strategy.
• With internal and/or external stakeholders, creates a clear vision and presents and showcases the value proposition of Procurement. Achieves alignment between stakeholders and Procurement also in cases of divergent interests and objectives.
• Interacts with relevant management functions and closely collaborates with relevant stakeholders to identify short and long-term plans for creating value (e.g., sourcing plans, roadmaps).

Supplier Management and Selection

• In alignment with category strategy, defines sourcing strategies, conducts large and complex sourcing activities, and performs supplier selection activities and RFx processes including supplier identification, contract negotiations, and supplier due diligence activities. Identifies relevant stakeholders for the sourcing event and manages them as a project team.
• Owns supplier life-cycle management and is responsible for the supplier performance management. Manages and escalates business critical issues arising from supplier performance, for example as a consequence of low delivery performance by a supplier, identifies solutions and remediation actions and drives their implementation in alignment with the business stakeholders including any relevant management functions.
• Works with a high degree of autonomy, taking decisions within the assigned area of responsibility and acting always in line with category and procurement strategy.
• Presents results and recommendations for management decisions to relevant decision boards and stakeholders.
• Coaches, supervises, leads and collaborates with sourcing specialists for specified sourcing initiatives and supplier management. Delegates selected non-critical activities to sourcing specialists.
• Advanced knowledge of eSourcing, Spend Visibility, and R2P tools to precisely delegate to and closely collaborate with sourcing specialists supporting their initiatives.
• Leads and participates in supplier business reviews.
• For assigned areas, resolves diligently quality, supply, or any other issues in close collaboration with the local and regional stakeholders.

Analysis and Documentation

• Performs proposal analysis, including price analyses, “Should Cost” modelling, benchmarking and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
• Generates proposal/quote comparisons and compiles detailed assessment of cost breakdowns.
• Develops negotiation strategy, including targets for costs and key commercial/business terms.
• Ensures full documentation (RFQs documents, contracts, and data & price maintenance at each sourcing project closure).

Risk Management and Ethical Standards

• Evaluates financial stability of suppliers and manages supplier risks as needed while considering the local plans, regulations, and specificities.
• Demonstrates the highest ethical standards and ensures Fresenius procedures are adopted and followed.

Qualifications, Experience

• University Degree in Economics, Business Administration or respectively equal educational training incl. relevant work experience.
• Extensive purchasing experience in an international context, Healthcare sector preferred.
• Minimum 7 years professional experience within tactical Procurement.
• Minimum 2 years professional experience within Warehousing Procurement.
• Minimum 2 years professional experience within Road Freight Procurement – Including FTL, LTL.
• Ocean freight, air freight, customs and patient transportation experience highly desired (but not required).
• Knowledge of industry-specific rules and regulations as well as industry standards.
• Understands the business environment, financial key principles/metrics, products/services offered, key customers, competitors, and industry trends to drive sound decisions that create value for our company and our patients.
• Ability to interface with various departments and functions.
• Ability to work independently with a low level of manager guidance, identify solutions to complex and business critical problems and take decisions within the assigned area of responsibility.
• Ability to prioritize large number of business critical activities and solution them in a structured and target oriented manner.
• Collects, handles, and analyses diverse data types while leveraging digital communication technologies.
• Delivers structured and compelling strategies based on data-driven insights, stakeholder needs and business objectives.
• Embraces change and new ideas as well as formulates and applies creative responses to problems.
• Communicates effectively.
• Drives negotiations for strong outcomes including optimal financial and operational results.
• Collaborates to create and manage contracts aligned with legal standards.
• Takes an organised approach to managing projects, including defining a clear scope, key deliverables and timeline that is communicated regularly to stakeholders.
• Demonstrates and applies a holistic Procurement approach based on a deep internal & external analysis jointly with strong stakeholder engagement and a long-term vision and strategy.
• Develops and applies a methodology for selecting, negotiating, contracting, and implementing supplier agreement(s) with the aim of reducing the total costs of purchased materials/goods/services while maintaining and improving levels of quality, service, and technology.
• MS Office.
• Knowledge of eSourcing tools a plus.
• Fluent German.
• Fluent English.
• Other languages a plus.
• Flexibility for occasional business travelling (10-20%).