Regional Category Manager (Electromechanical)
Job Description
At Fresenius Medical Care, we are the global leader in kidney care, committed to improving the lives of patients with chronic kidney disease. Our mission is to deliver high-quality, innovative products, services, and care across the entire healthcare journey. Guided by our vision—“Creating a future worth living. For patients. Worldwide. Every day.”—we work with purpose and compassion, supported by a global team of over 125,000 employees.
As a part of Global Functions, our Procurement Department is driving transformation through our FME Reignite strategy, which focuses on innovation, efficiency, and sustainable growth. Our values are the foundation of our culture:
We Care for our patients, each other, and our communities.
We Connect across teams and borders to deliver excellence together.
We Commit to doing things the right way—growing with purpose and leading kidney care with integrity and innovation.
Role Summary:
The Regional 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 successful candidate will lead the category management strategy regionally in alignment with four procurement pillars: Procurement Partnering, Global Category Management, Center of Expertise and Procurement Operations. The ideal candidate for this role possesses the ability to build strong relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders and ensure that category strategies cross-functionally are aligned. This role will own strategy, analytics, and communications for executive-level projects related to respective category.
Your Role:
- Drive, develop, and implement multi-year category plans for the assigned category, including demand aggregation, definition of buying channels, strategic relationship management, and supplier risk management.
- Maintains knowledge of current trends, supplier capabilities, innovation, and changes within the technology 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 in collaboration with the VMO, including resolution of issues and disputes.
- Build relationships and work closely with the Procurement Business Partner(s), other Category Managers, and cross-functional teams to share and implement procurement strategies.
- Leads or participates 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
Your Profile:
- Bachelor’s Degree in either Technical or Business field
- MBA and/or CPSM/CPM desired but not required
- Strong Managership and effective business partnering capabilities – influence without authority
- 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 a plus – working experience in different countries/regions/languages
- 5+ years of procurement, contract negotiation and management experience
- 1-3 years of experience with the latest procurement and contract management solutions
- 2+ years of direct electromechanical category experience (PCBA, Cable Harnesses, Machined parts, Metal cabinets)
- Project management expertise with the ability to carry projects from planning through implementation.
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of contract terms and conditions, including DPA, GDPR, ESG and others.
- Able to tailor communication and context across diverse geographic backgrounds and cultural settings
- Able to negotiate the best possible terms with strategic suppliers that have a far-reaching impact on our business
- Working in a multi-national, multi-cultural environment
- Project management expertise with the ability to carry projects from planning through implementation.
- Managership of subcategories
- 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
Our Offer For You:
There is a lot you can discover at Fresenius Medical Care, regardless in which field you are an expert and how much experience you have - all dedicated to your professional journey.
Whether in front of or behind the scenes - you are helping to make ever better medicine available to more and more people around the world
Individual opportunities for self-determined career planning and professional development
A corporate culture in which there is enough room for innovative thinking - to find the best solution together, not the quickest one
A large number of committed people with a wide range of skills, talents and experience
The benefits of a successful global corporation with the collegial culture of a medium-sized company