Senior Global Category Manager - Contract Manufacturing (m/f/d)

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Role Summary

This is a high-impact global leadership opportunity for a senior procurement professional who thrives at the intersection of market intelligence, strategic sourcing, and business value creation. As Senior Global Category Manager – Contract Manufacturing, you will shape and lead the global category for contract manufacturing activities, influencing cost competitiveness, supply resilience, sustainability, and long-term business advantage across the enterprise. The role requires an experienced category leader who can challenge conventional thinking, influence senior stakeholders, shape supplier market strategies, and convert procurement expertise into measurable business outcomes.

In this role, you will:

• Influence and align global/regional category teams.

• Serve as subject matter expert for contract manufacturing Procurement.

• Leverage best practice, consistency, and optimization

• Lead major negotiations and strategic supplier partnerships.

This role holds enterprise-wide responsibility for cost leadership, supply continuity, risk mitigation, sustainability, and value delivery, with high visibility among senior stakeholders and a direct impact on business performance.

The Senior Global Category Manager – Contract Manufacturing will report to the Global Strategic Procurement Director and partner closely with senior leaders across, Operations, Supply Chain, R&D/Technology, Finance, and regional Procurement teams worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and evolve the multi-year category strategy to drive continuous improvement in contract manufacturing Procurement, aligned to business priorities, delivering measurable value through cost transformation, risk mitigation, supply assurance, sustainability, and innovation.

• Bring world-class market intelligence to the organization by translating supply/demand dynamics, cost drivers, capacity trends, regulatory developments, and competitive insights into actionable strategies.

• Challenge, influence, and co-create value with business senior leaders and executives across Operations, Supply Chain, R&D/Technology and Manufacturing organizations to optimize contract manufacturing strategies, improve cost competitiveness, manage risk, and deliver enterprise value.

• Serve as the recognized subject matter expert for contract manufacturing Procurement, advising senior leadership through clear market briefings, strategic recommendations, and forward-looking risk and opportunity assessments.

• Lead global/regional category teams through influence in a matrixed environment, aligning regional and functional stakeholders behind a common approach and driving disciplined execution worldwide.

• Act as the lead commercial negotiator for major contract manufacturing agreements, shaping outcomes on complex contracts with significant business impact.

• Lead global supplier relationship management programs that elevate performance, accelerate innovation, optimize total value, and strengthen strategic partnerships.

• Lead proactive risk reviews and mitigation strategies across the portfolio, leveraging dual sourcing, regional diversification, inventory strategies, and commercial levers to protect business continuity.

• Lead strategic assessments of manufacturing footprint, supplier capability, capacity availability, geographic risk, and make-versus-buy opportunities to improve enterprise competitiveness and resilience

• Partner closely with Operations, Supply Chain, R&D/Technology, and Finance to manage cost exposure, enable resilient supply, and align procurement strategy with enterprise priorities.

What You Bring

Core Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry/Chemical Engineering or related sciences preferred. Other technical degrees will also be considered

• 15+ years of progressive procurement experience, including significant leadership in contract manufacturing Procurement within complex global organizations.

• Deep expertise in global contract manufacturing markets, including outsourcing operating models, capacity planning, cost structures, make-versus-buy decisions, regional manufacturing economics, supplier capabilities, and strategic manufacturing partnerships.

• Demonstrated success leading high-value commercial negotiations, complex contracting, and supplier strategies that deliver both immediate impact and long-term advantage.

• Demonstrated track record of delivering significant procurement value through contract manufacturing optimization, cost reduction, cost avoidance, supplier innovation, network design, capacity management, supply assurance, and strategic outsourcing initiatives.

• Proven ability to advise, influence, and challenge Director, VP, and executive-level stakeholders through market intelligence, commercial insight, manufacturing network knowledge, and data-driven recommendations A collaborative, resilient, and high-integrity leader who is comfortable operating with ambiguity, pressure, and executive visibility in a global matrix environment.

Additional Requirements

• Good understanding, knowledge, and experience of managing raw material categories, including global raw material market dynamics, and typical value chains.

• Experience leveraging digital procurement tools, analytics, and AI-enabled insights to strengthen decision-making and category performance.

• Professional certification such as CIPS, ISM, or equivalent is an advantage.

Key Competencies

• Strategic category leadership and market expertise.

• Executive negotiation, contracting, and business acumen.

• Data-driven decision making and supply resilience.

• Cross-functional leadership and stakeholder influence.

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