Senior Global Category Manager - IT

Fresenius Medical Care•Waltham, MA

36d•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Global Category Manager is responsible for developing and 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.

Requirements

Minimum of 5 years' related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or a Master's degree; or equivalent directly related work experience
Strong leadership 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
Project management expertise with the ability to carry projects from planning through implementation.
Ability to collaborate and communicate with senior executives and stakeholders both internally and externally.
Critical thinking and decision-making skills with ability to understand opportunities, create value and solve complex problems.
In-depth knowledge and understanding of contract terms and conditions.
Excellent communication and presentation skills including expectation management; assertive
Able to tailor communication and context across diverse geographic backgrounds and cultural settings
Able to work in and/or manage virtual, geographically dispersed, cross-cultural teams
Able to prioritize multiple initiatives/projects in a fast-paced environment
Able to negotiate the best possible terms with strategic suppliers that have a far-reaching impact on our business.
Able to develop relationships and build both a strong direct and indirect sphere of influence.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills; familiarity and knowledge of agile ways of working
Working in a multi-national, multi-cultural environment
English (written and spoken) - Fluent
Purchasing
Strategic Sourcing
Category Management
Bidding processes
Negotiation
Knowledge of business market trends
Comprehensive knowledge of Procurement policies and procedures
Experience in procuring goods and services with the ability to understand the total cost of ownership to generate cost savings

Nice To Haves

1-2 years of direct industry or company experience preferred
MBA and/or CPSM/CPM desired but not required

Responsibilities

Develop and execute multi-year global category and sub-category strategies covering Software, Professional Services & Outsourcing, Infrastructure/Hardware, and Telecom.
Maintain expert knowledge of global IT market trends, emerging technologies, key supplier capabilities, and the competitive landscape to ensure FME leverages innovation and best-practice solutions.
Collaborate closely with IT leadership and Business Partners to harmonize requirements, aggregate global demand, standardize specifications, and define optimized buying channels.
Develop comprehensive supply risk mitigation strategies addressing critical areas like compliance, cybersecurity, licensing audits, geopolitical instability, and overall business continuity for mission-critical IT suppliers.
Lead complex, cross-functional global sourcing initiatives (RFx) for high-value, high-risk spend, translating business needs into effective commercial agreements.
Utilize advanced analytical techniques to establish aggressive negotiation targets and optimize lifetime value.
Lead negotiations for complex legal and commercial terms.
Contribute to IT budget development by providing critical market data and cost forecasts. Post-approval, support IT in rigorous cost control to ensure budget adherence and drive the achievement of committed savings goals. Ensure compliance with all global procurement policies.
Manage strategic, long-term relationships with Top Tier IT suppliers, focusing on performance, innovation roadmaps, compliance, and dispute resolution.
Lead regular, structured business reviews (QBRs) to monitor supplier performance, drive continuous improvement, and evaluate financial/risk exposure.
Serve as the primary procurement expert for the IT organization, ensuring category strategies align fully with major IT initiatives and functional requirements.
Champion and drive the adoption of digital tools (including eSourcing, CLM, Spend Visibility, and S2P) across the category to maximize efficiency and savings.