Global Category Manager - Business Travel

Job Objective:

The Global Category Manager is responsible for executing procurement strategies with 3rd party suppliers in support of Fresenius Medical Care’s One Procurement strategy. Responsible for category management, strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, contracting, and ongoing supplier management for assigned category. Coordinates with Procurement Partner(s) and key stakeholders to ensure alignment of procurement strategies.

The Global Category Manager leads the category management strategy globally in alignment with four procurement pillars: Procurement Partnering, Global Category Management, Center of Expertise and Procurement Operations.  Responsible to build strong relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders and ensures that category strategies cross-functionally are aligned. Owns strategy, analytics, and communications for executive-level projects related to respective category.

Main Activities

• Drive, develop, and implement multi-year category plans for the Travel category, including demand aggregation, definition of buying channels, strategic relationship management, and supplier risk management.
• Supports the development of overall FME Global Travel strategy and their transformation programme cornerstones - including Travel Policy, Operations supply and Safety/Sustainability.
• Maintains knowledge of current trends, supplier capabilities, innovation, and changes within the technology and supplier landscape
• Identify, develop and lead/support opportunities to optimize spend, reduce costs, mitigate supply risks, improve services, bring innovation and assure supply.
• Leads or supports cross functional supplier selection activities and management of formal strategic sourcing and RFx processes.
• Performs proposal analysis, including price analyses, “Should Cost” modelling, benchmarking and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
• Develops negotiation strategy, including targets for costs and key commercial/business terms.
• Working in conjunction with Legal, drafts and negotiates key legal and commercial terms.
• Evaluates financial stability of suppliers and manages supplier risks as needed.
• Actively manages key supplier relationships including resolution of issues and disputes.
• Build relationships and work closely with cross-functional stakeholder groups, other Procurement Business Partner(s), other Category Managers, and cross-functional teams to share and implement procurement strategies.
• Develops and leads Supplier Performance Management framework for key suppliers and leads in supplier business reviews.

• Champions use of eSourcing, Spend Visibility, and R2P tools within category; leverages and utilizes eAuctions where appropriate.
• Acts as an ambassador of Procurement and a champion in the function for all Procurement policies, processes and tools to ensure compliance.
• Demonstrates the highest ethical standards and ensures Fresenius procedures are adopted and followed.
• Drives the category management process to develop strategies that include diversity, sustainability, risk assessment, currency, and overall continuity, in alignment with business KPIs.

Required Qualification, Experience and Critical Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree in either Technical or Business field
• MBA and/or CPSM/CPM desired
• Strong Managership and effective business partnering capabilities – influence without authority.
• Requires ability to deal with ambiguity and the corresponding capacity to make decisions or recommendations based on potentially incomplete information.
• Experience with hands on analysis and data interpretation; proficiency in Microsoft Office Suites required.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and presentation skills
• Robust knowledge of the strategic sourcing and category management process
• International experience essential – working experience in different countries/regions/languages.
• English (written and spoken) - Fluent
• 5+ years of travel procurement, contract negotiation and management experience.
• 5+ years of experience with the latest procurement and contract management solutions
• 5+ years of direct industry or company experience
• 5+ years working in a multi-national, multi-cultural environment