Strategic 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

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