Category Manager – Technical Services

VAROPreem; Lysekils kommun; On-site; SEK 1,200,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

VAROPreem is seeking a Senior Category Manager – Technical Services to own the category across refinery and terminal operations in Europe. The role emphasizes cost efficiency, risk management, and supplier performance, with close collaboration across Operations, Maintenance, Projects, Legal, Finance, and HSE.

The position can be based in Gothenburg or Lysekil, with travel within Sweden and Europe. A university engineering/economics/law background and English fluency are required, Swedish is

Qualifications

• Ten+ years of advanced procurement experience in Technical Services.
• Experience in industries such as oil & gas, refining, petrochemicals, nuclear, or heavy industries.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken); Swedish is a plus.
• Strong ability to draft and negotiate legally robust contracts.
• Experience leading procurement initiatives in project-intensive environments.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive category strategies based on business needs and risk assessment.
• Create value through cost efficiency, reduced execution risk, and supplier performance.
• Secure resilient supply markets through supplier, market, and risk analyses.
• Develop and own contracting strategies and frameworks in collaboration with Legal and stakeholders.
• Establish and lead Supplier Relationship Management for strategic suppliers.
• Lead cross-functional category teams and monitor category KPIs.
• Integrate sustainability, safety, compliance, and responsible sourcing into strategies.

Skills

Category management

Supplier management

Contract negotiation

Cross-functional leadership

Data-driven decisions

Risk assessment

Sustainability & governance

Education

Engineering degree

Economics degree

Law degree

Job description

At VAROPreem, you will work at the intersection of complex industrial operations, commercial excellence, and long‑term sustainability. As Category Manager – Technical Services, you will play a key role in securing critical services that enable safe, reliable, and future‑ready refinery and terminal operations across Europe.

About VAROPreem

VAROPreem is a leading European energy company with refining and terminal operations across Europe. We play a critical role in delivering a secure and responsible energy supply while actively driving the transition towards more sustainable energy solutions. Safety, integrity, and long‑term value creation are core to our operations.

About The Role

As Category Manager, you have end‑to‑end responsibility for the Technical Services category across VAROPreem’s operations, covering services that support maintenance, turnarounds, construction, and project execution at refineries and terminals.

You develop and implement category strategies that create sustainable value through cost efficiency, strong risk and contract management, high supplier performance, and alignment with safety, sustainability, and governance requirements. The role is senior and strategic, with close collaboration across Operations, Maintenance, Projects, Legal, Finance, and HSE.

The position can be based in Gothenburg or Lysekil, and includes travel within Sweden and Europe.

Key responsibilities

• Defining and driving category strategies based on business needs, market intelligence, and risk assessment.
• Creating sustainable value through cost efficiency, reduced execution risk, and strong supplier performance.
• Securing resilient supply markets through supplier, market, and risk analyses, ensuring access to qualified suppliers nationally and internationally.
• Developing and owning contracting strategies and frameworks, including drafting, negotiating, and managing contracts in close collaboration with Legal and key stakeholders.
• Establishing and leading Supplier Relationship Management for strategic suppliers, driving performance and continuous improvement.
• Leading cross‑functional category teams, acting as a senior commercial and contractual advisor, and defining and monitoring category KPIs.
• Integrating sustainability, safety, compliance, and responsible sourcing into all category strategies and supplier management activities.

What We Offer

At VAROPreem, you will become part of a welcoming workplace characterized by trust, collaboration, and strong development opportunities. The energy market is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades, and we are driven by a clear purpose: to meet today’s energy needs while accelerating the transition towards more sustainable energy solutions.

We offer a role with freedom under responsibility, where you are encouraged to take initiative and actively contribute to shaping and developing the business going forward.

Your background

We believe you bring more than ten years of experience from advanced procurement, with a strong focus on Technical Services. You have experience from industries such as oil & gas, refining, petrochemicals, nuclear power, pulp & paper, or other heavy industrial environments.

You have strong knowledge of international contracting and commercial models, and a proven ability to draft and negotiate legally robust contracts. You are experienced in leading procurement initiatives in project‑intensive environments and are comfortable making analytical, data‑driven decisions.

You hold a university degree in engineering, economics, law, or have equivalent experience. You are fluent in English, both written and spoken. Proficiency in Swedish is considered an advantage but is not a requirement.

Who You Are

You are a commercially driven professional with a solid understanding of commercial, contractual, and technical matters. You combine a strategic mindset with a strong ability to execute and deliver results in complex environments.

As a skilled negotiator, you act with high integrity and build trust both internally and externally. You communicate clearly and confidently and are comfortable engaging with and managing senior stakeholders across the organization.

If you have questions about the role or the recruitment process, you are welcome to contact Jean-Pierre Demmers,Head of Procurement Category & Projects, [e-mail] or Asrin Ali-Zadeh, Recruitment Partner [e-mail].

As VAROPreem operates within societally critical infrastructure, a background check as well as alcohol and drug testing are conducted prior to any offer of employment. In connection with interviews, you will be required to present valid identification. Where required for the position, a security clearance including a register check will be carried out in accordance with the Swedish Protective Security Act.

Union representatives are available here.

We warmly welcome your application.