Global Category Manager – Meetings, Conferences, Events

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 154,000 - 243,000; Full time

Job summary

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. in Boston, MA seeks a Global Category Manager for Meetings, Conferences, and Events.

You will develop and execute category plans, balance experience, service quality, compliance, sustainability, resilience, and total cost, and lead end-to-end category execution within global direction. You will engage stakeholders early, lead complex sourcing and contracting, manage supplier performance, and deliver measurable value across financial performance, quality, risk, and

Qualifications

• 8+ years of procurement/category management experience.
• Subject matter expertise across meetings management, conferences, event services, and related areas.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen including total cost of ownership and contract management.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders across functions and geographies.
• Experience with digital procurement tools, automation, analytics, and AI-enabled approaches.
• Fluent written and spoken English.

Responsibilities

• Analyze spend, demand, and supplier performance to identify category priorities.
• Lead complex global and regional sourcing initiatives and contract implementations.
• Manage master agreements and commercial frameworks with pricing, service levels, and performance guarantees.
• Reduce supplier fragmentation by directing demand to preferred suppliers and frameworks.
• Translate global strategy into executable category plans and stakeholder engagement plans.

Skills

Procurement experience

Category management

Sourcing & contracting

Supplier management

Financial acumen

Stakeholder influence

Data analytics

Digital tools / AI

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA preferred

Tools

Digital procurement tools

Automation tools

Analytics tools

AI-enabled approaches

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

This role manages the Global Meetings, Conferences, and Events category, an area that supports scientific exchange, business engagement, employee connectivity, and external stakeholder interactions. The role will develop and execute category plans that balance experience, service quality, compliance, sustainability, resilience, and total cost while working within the global direction established by the Global Category Lead. Working within the strategy and governance established by the Global Category Lead, this role owns category execution from end to end. The Global Category Manager converts enterprise priorities into actionable plans, engages stakeholders before requirements and suppliers are finalized, leads complex sourcing and contracting work, manages supplier performance, and delivers measurable value across financial performance, business outcomes, quality, sustainability, resilience, and risk.

OBJECTIVES

• Develop and execute the Global Meetings, Conferences, and Events category plan in alignment with enterprise priorities and the strategy set by the Global Category Lead.
• Partner with business and program stakeholders to shape requirements, service models, demand, supplier choices, and commercial decisions before commitments are made.
• Build and manage a competitive supplier ecosystem supported by effective governance, preferred buying channels, and measurable performance outcomes.
• Deliver an actionable sourcing and value pipeline across cost, service, innovation, compliance, sustainability, risk, and stakeholder experience.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Analyze spend, demand, event types, attendee needs, supplier performance, market dynamics, risk, and sustainability data to identify category priorities and opportunities.
• Create and maintain category plans covering meetings management, event agencies, venue sourcing, production, attendee technology, group travel, and related services.
• Partner with stakeholders to define fit for purpose specifications, planning standards, service levels, buying channels, and supplier engagement approaches.
• Lead complex global and regional sourcing initiatives, negotiations, supplier selections, transitions, and contract implementations.
• Manage master agreements and commercial frameworks, including pricing, fees, service levels, incentives, performance guarantees, data requirements, and escalation provisions.
• Reduce supplier fragmentation and leakage by directing demand to the right preferred suppliers, commercial frameworks, competitive processes, and buying channels.
• Integrate third party risk, confidentiality, conflicts, information security, privacy, business continuity, responsible sourcing, and knowledge retention requirements into category decisions.
• Translate the global category strategy into an executable category plan, initiative pipeline, sourcing calendar, supplier roadmap, and stakeholder engagement plan.
• Operate within global strategies, decision rights, preferred supplier models, commercial frameworks, and buying channels while adapting execution to legitimate regional, market, and functional requirements.
• Engage upstream, before specifications, statements of work, supplier selections, and budgets are finalized, to shape demand and improve business outcomes.
• Maintain an end-to-end view of assigned spend, demand, pipeline, contracts, supplier performance, risk, tail spend, and value realization.
• Escalate portfolio choices and exceptions to the Global Category Lead.
• Deliver assigned targets and KPIs across P&L impact, P&L protection, cash improvement, innovation, quality, sustainability, risk, and business performance.
• Use market intelligence, advanced analytics, automation, and responsible AI solutions to improve decisions, execution speed, transparency, and stakeholder experience.
• Lead cross functional project teams without direct authority and create clarity on decisions, actions, owners, milestones, and value outcomes.
• Provide the Global Category Lead with clear insights, recommendations, risks, decisions required, and progress against the category plan.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain, finance, economics, or a related field required. Master's degree or MBA preferred.

EXPERIENCE AND CAPABILITIES

• 8+ years of experience in procurement, category management, strategic sourcing, supplier management, or a related commercial function within complex global organizations.
• Subject matter expertise across relevant categories such as meetings management, conferences, congresses, event agencies, venue sourcing, production, audiovisual services, attendee technology, virtual or hybrid events, group travel, and related services.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing category plans and complex sourcing initiatives that deliver measurable enterprise value.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including sourcing, negotiation, supplier economics, total cost of ownership, contract management, and value realization.
• Ability to influence and constructively challenge senior stakeholders across functions, business units, and geographies.
• Experience leading cross functional initiatives in a highly matrixed and regulated environment.
• Strong supplier relationship management capabilities, including segmentation, governance, performance management, issue resolution, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement.
• Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to turn market, supplier, spend, and performance data into clear recommendations and decisions.
• Experience with digital procurement tools, automation, analytics, and AI enabled approaches.
• Fluent written and spoken English.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, financial services, or another highly regulated global industry.
• Experience sourcing and managing meetings and events services across multiple countries or regions.
• Knowledge of event technology, data, payment, compliance, sustainability, and attendee experience considerations.
• Experience working with global strategies that require thoughtful regional and local adaptation.

TAKEDA COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS SUMMARY

• For Location: Boston, MA U.S.
• Base Salary Range: $154,400.00 - $242,550.00
• 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.
• The actual base salary offered will be in accordance with state or local minimum wage requirements for the job location.

EEO STATEMENT

Takeda is proud in its commitment to creating a diverse workforce and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, genetic information or characteristics, marital status, status as a Vietnam era veteran, special disabled veteran, or other protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws, and any other characteristic protected by law.

LOCATIONS

• Boston, MA

WORKER TYPE

• Employee
• Worker Sub-Type: Regular Time Type Full time
• Job Exempt: Yes
• It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

COMPANY CULTURE

Takeda is an industry‑leading, global pharmaceutical company with an unwavering dedication to putting patients at the center of everything we do. We live our values of Takeda‑ism – Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, and Perseverance – and are united by our mission to strive towards Better Health and a Brighter Future for people worldwide through leading innovation in medicine. Here, everyone matters and you will be a vital contributor to our inspiring, bold mission. At Takeda, you will make an impact on people’s lives – including your own. Takeda is an equal opportunity employer.