Senior Category Manager

(Maternity cover)

Do you want to establish close relationships within the global Grundfos organization and gain a broad network where you have touchpoints that go beyond Purchasing and your own categories? Then join the EMEA Group Purchasing team as a Senior Category Manager (CM).

"We are a positive team and enjoy a good working atmosphere. A high level of trust, respect, and good relationships are some of the ingredients. We have a high team spirit and we are closely connected. We meet on a regular basis in online meetings to review progress on our projects, to keep each other up to date and to foster team spirit. And now and then, we meet face to face in smaller groups or with the entire team - depending on the projects we are working on", David Berlanga Gonzalez, Senior Purchasing Manager for EMEA, explains.

What is the job about?

As our Senior Category Manager, you are responsible to deliver consistently high customer satisfaction on behalf of Group Purchasing and the business performance units. You conduct Value Based Sourcing within the Category and optimize continuously the Operational Excellence, Innovation and Sustainability delivered from your Suppliers. You ensure the optimization of your area of responsibility from a total cost of ownership perspective.

The key activities in that role are described in the following:

Strategic sourcing related activities

•    Responsible to develop category strategy

•    Execution of category strategy by using the existing Purchasing Tools

•    Facilitate and coordinate supplier negotiations

•    Responsible for the tendering process (eRFI & RFQs and e-auctions)

•    Gain and establish in-depth market knowledge 

•    Select supplier and negotiate overall purchase conditions (projects, re-source, etc)

•    Oversee and optimize supplier portfolio

•    Responsible for the contract coverage

•    Responsible for cost out activities

•    Supplier approval.

Supplier Relationship Management related activities:

•    Responsible for the performances of suppliers (e.g. on-time deliveries, quality)

•    Regular follow-up with suppliers on performance against target and agreed on development activities 

•    Drive, arrange and participate in system audits, CSR audits, etc

•    Support supply chain improvements and initiatives in cooperation with local units

•    Oversee suppliers' capacities and drives improvement initiatives

•    Supports Product Development

•    Secure deliverables on required VPC activities including approval of supply chain

•    Ensure the classification of suppliers

•    Create SRM strategies for key suppliers and relevant collaborative suppliers

•    Create and design supply chain solutions to support 48h deliveries

•    Establish and maintain a team of cross-functional key stakeholders 

•    Support Purchasing for Project sales with the right supplier portfolio.

Operational Procurement Management-related activities:

•    Accountable for Vendor master data

•    Accountable for Purchasing conditions.

Your main collaboration partners are Purchasing Management Region / Performance Units, Operations / Plants, Supply Chain, Quality, Group Purchasing, Product and Offerings Development, Engineering, Finance, Operations Strategy, Legal and Product and Program Managers.

What do you need to apply?

•    Relevant technical education or experience within Electronics.

•    At least 5 years of relevant experience within sourcing in a global organization.

•    Experience in industry, large manufacturing environments.

•    Experienced in communicating at the senior executive level as well as other levels internally as well as externally (typical counterpart in relationships and strategic negotiations will be managing directors or senior executives).

•    Practical and strategic thinking.

•    Ability to coordinate complex processes or projects.

•    Experience with SAP as ERP system.

•    You are able to communicate fluently in English and work in global organizations, across geographical and cultural difference.

"On a personal level, you enjoy relating and networking with stakeholders on all hierarchical levels. You are a good communicator and know how to persuade and influence others. Team-work, respect, and trust are important to you", finishes David.

What's in it for you?

What are your goals? Here at Grundfos it's our mission to enable you develop and fulfil your aspirations, both career and personal. We are guided by our six core values, and you'll find that your fresh ideas will be welcomed and make a difference in everything from local to large-scale global projects. You'll encounter colleagues from all over the world both as part of your daily work, supporting and all the while broadening each other's cultural horizons.

In addition, your day-to-day benefits include:

• Annual bonuses;
• Private medical assurance;
• Hybrid working policy with organized transportation to work or compensation for fuel costs;
• Within the company we have provided a meal within the canteen, and it is covered by Grundfos;
• A gym that can be used before and after working hours as well as other sports activities like football, table football, basketball etc.;
• Discount of employee purchase of Grundfos products;
• Long-term career development with regular dialogue, as well as continuous learning and development opportunities.

Additional information

If this job sounds appealing to you, please send your resume and cover letter as soon as possible by clicking on "". We expect interviews to be held on an ongoing basis.

We look forward to hearing from you.

If you want to dig deeper into the Grundfos universe, please visit us on

LinkedIn:  or

YouTube:

Grundfos is Serbia