Senior Global Category Strategy Lead

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 177,000 - 278,000; Full time

Job summary

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. in Cambridge, MA is seeking a senior Procurement leader to drive category strategy and lead a team of category managers.

You will partner with senior stakeholders to align external spend with key business objectives and shape supplier relationships for sustained value. The role requires 10+ years in procurement, a strong track record in cost optimization and risk management, and fluency in English.

Qualifications

• 10+ years experience in procurement, category management, supply chain, or related commercial functions within complex global organizations
• Proven ability to develop and execute category strategies
• Strong commercial and financial acumen with a demonstrated track record of delivering measurable value through cost optimization, risk management, innovation, sustainability, and operational efficiency initiatives
• Subject-matter expertise in research, externalized scientific services or similar categories in healthcare, biotech or pharmaceutical industry
• Fluent written and spoken English

Responsibilities

• Define and lead category strategies that maximize enterprise value from external spend through cost optimization, innovation, risk management, sustainability, and business growth
• Act as a strategic partner to senior business leaders, aligning category priorities with organizational objectives and ensuring external spend supports critical business outcomes
• Drive long-term business outcomes by shaping category strategy, supplier portfolio strategy, and enterprise spending decisions
• Orchestrate cross-functional resources and stakeholder collaboration to deliver category goals, strengthen supplier partnerships, and ensure sustainable business performance
• Manage a small team of category managers
• Own strategic supplier relationships, governance, and performance management to drive continuous improvement, innovation, and value delivery
• Synthesize market intelligence, supplier insights, and business data into compelling narratives that influence strategic decisions and stakeholder alignment
• Lead, develop, and enable high-performing teams by building critical capabilities, fostering collaboration, and driving a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and business partnership
• Allocate people and priority across the category portfolio, making cross-category trade-offs to maximize aggregate enterprise value
• Accountable for the value-delivery agenda across the category portfolio, setting and governing the targets and KPIs — spanning the enterprise value framework of P&L impact, P&L protection, and cash improvement

Skills

Category management

Strategic sourcing

Executive stakeholder management

Change leadership

Digital technologies

Analytical thinking

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA advantageous

Job description

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. in Cambridge, MA is seeking a senior Procurement leader to drive category strategy and lead a team of category managers.

You will partner with senior stakeholders to align external spend with key business objectives and shape supplier relationships for sustained value. The role requires 10+ years in procurement, a strong track record in cost optimization and risk management, and fluency in English.