Global Category Leader – Logistics

Ref. PL100-R26-S06
Scope: Global
Location: Czech Republic (Prague)
Work model: Hybrid – 2 days per week in the office
Employment: Full-time

Our Client

Our Client is an international pharmaceutical organisation undergoing a significant transformation of its global Procurement function.

As part of this transformation, the company is building a new global Indirect Procurement organisation responsible for approximately 25 countries. The ambition is to move from a predominantly tactical and business-request-driven purchasing model towards a mature, strategic Procurement function with clear category ownership, strong financial accountability and a proactive role in business decision-making.

The new team is expected to identify opportunities independently, build and deploy category strategies, challenge existing ways of working, increase Procurement coverage and establish more structured supplier and category management across the organisation.

This is an opportunity for an experienced Logistics Procurement professional who wants to take meaningful category responsibility within a newly built global structure and contribute directly to the development of the category.

Position Overview

We are looking for an experienced Global Category Leader – Logistics who will take responsibility for selected areas of the global Logistics category and play an active role in the development and deployment of its broader category strategy.

The broader scope includes:

• inbound transportation,
• outbound transportation,
• road freight,
• air freight,
• sea freight,
• freight forwarding,
• distribution,
• selected warehousing and logistics services.

The wider Logistics category represents annual spend in the range of approximately EUR 65–75 million.

Depending on experience, business priorities and the future division of responsibilities within the team, the Global Category Leader may take full ownership of selected logistics subcategories while also leading strategic initiatives across a broader part of the portfolio.

The role combines Category and Subcategory Management, strategic procurement, complex negotiations, supplier management, commercial value creation and international stakeholder engagement.

The successful candidate will be expected to identify opportunities proactively, build their own agenda within the assigned scope and contribute directly to measurable financial and operational results.

Key Responsibilities

Category & Subcategory Strategy

• Develop and deploy strategies for assigned Logistics subcategories.
• Actively contribute to the development and evolution of the broader global Logistics category strategy.
• Analyse spend, transport flows, demand patterns, supplier structures, freight rates, fuel surcharges, capacity and cost drivers.
• Build sourcing and value-creation roadmaps within the assigned category scope.
• Identify and prioritise savings, commercial and operational improvement opportunities.
• Challenge existing transport models, supplier structures and service requirements where appropriate.
• Support implementation of category strategies across countries, manufacturing sites and stakeholder groups.
• Monitor logistics and transportation market developments and translate them into actionable category recommendations.
• Contribute to initiatives such as freight consolidation, supplier consolidation, route optimisation, modal shifts and service-model optimisation.

Strategic Procurement & Commercial Value

• Lead complex strategic procurement initiatives within assigned Logistics categories.
• Develop commercial strategies based on market knowledge, operational requirements and financial analysis.
• Lead complex negotiations with carriers, freight forwarders, logistics providers and other relevant suppliers.
• Evaluate pricing structures, freight indices, fuel mechanisms, service models and Total Cost of Ownership.
• Identify and deliver measurable savings and broader commercial value.
• Build and manage strategic supplier relationships within the assigned scope.
• Support supplier segmentation, governance and performance-management models.
• Identify commercial, service, capacity and continuity risks and develop appropriate mitigation approaches.
• Contribute to contingency planning, route alternatives and supplier-risk mitigation.

Supplier Performance & Logistics Value

• Manage strategic relationships with transportation and logistics providers across relevant markets.
• Define and monitor performance measures including OTIF, lead times, damage rates, temperature excursions and service reliability where relevant.
• Drive supplier performance reviews, corrective actions and continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Support supplier portfolio optimisation and development of stronger long-term partnerships.
• Balance cost optimisation with operational continuity, service quality and risk.

Stakeholder Management & Business Partnership

• Build strong relationships with international stakeholders across Supply Chain, Logistics, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Finance and other relevant functions.
• Work directly with stakeholders across different countries, sites and organisational levels.
• Understand logistics-network requirements and translate them into category and procurement decisions.
• Influence and challenge stakeholders constructively where supported by market insight, data and a clear business rationale.
• Develop credibility as a Procurement expert who brings market knowledge, commercial judgement and independent recommendations to business discussions.
• Navigate different stakeholder priorities, operational requirements and levels of Procurement maturity.
• Work effectively with Quality and other specialist functions where regulatory or product requirements affect logistics decisions.

Financial & Operational Performance

• Take ownership of savings and value-creation initiatives within the assigned category scope.
• Build and manage a credible opportunity and savings pipeline.
• Understand and explain the financial impact of Procurement decisions.
• Work with Finance to support savings validation and reconciliation.
• Contribute to freight-cost forecasting, working-capital considerations and financial planning.
• Support Budget and Long-Range Planning activities relevant to the assigned Logistics areas.
• Balance financial performance with service reliability, continuity of supply and operational requirements.

Sustainability, Risk & Compliance

• Support integration of ESG criteria into supplier selection and performance management.
• Contribute to carbon-reduction and sustainable logistics initiatives.
• Consider transport mode, capacity, route and supplier decisions from both commercial and sustainability perspectives.
• Ensure appropriate consideration of regulatory and compliance requirements relevant to logistics services.
• Support risk mapping, supplier audits and business-continuity planning.

 

Experience & Profile

We are particularly interested in candidates with:

• solid experience in Logistics / Transportation Category Management, Subcategory Management and Strategic Procurement;
• sustained responsibility for logistics categories rather than occasional involvement in individual freight sourcing projects;
• proven experience developing and/or deploying category or subcategory strategies;
• experience taking ownership of a defined Logistics category scope and identifying its strategic and commercial priorities;
• hands-on procurement experience in areas such as road, air or sea freight, freight forwarding, distribution, 3PL or related logistics services;
• experience independently leading complex negotiations with transportation and logistics suppliers;
• experience identifying and delivering measurable financial value;
• strong understanding of freight markets, pricing mechanisms, capacity dynamics and supplier models;
• experience working directly with international Supply Chain, Logistics or Operations stakeholders;
• exposure to multi-country or regional environments;
• strong stakeholder-management and influencing capability;
• commercial judgement and financial awareness;
• the maturity to challenge established transport models, requirements and supplier structures constructively.

Logistics Category Experience

Candidates should have built a meaningful part of their Procurement career within Transportation / Logistics categories.

Relevant areas may include:

• road freight,
• air freight,
• sea freight,
• freight forwarding,
• inbound logistics,
• outbound logistics,
• distribution,
• 3PL,
• warehousing and related logistics services.

We do not expect equally deep experience across every subcategory.

A candidate may have stronger expertise in selected transportation modes or logistics services, provided that they understand the wider category, its cost models, supplier market and operational dependencies.

Experience with cold-chain logistics, GDP and customs-related requirements is relevant, particularly in regulated or temperature-sensitive environments, but the overall assessment will focus on the strength of the candidate’s Logistics Category Management capability.

Strategic Procurement Capabilities

The successful candidate should demonstrate strong capability in:

• Logistics Category and Subcategory Management,
• category and subcategory strategy development,
• category strategy deployment,
• Strategic Procurement,
• spend and opportunity analysis,
• transportation-market and supplier-market analysis,
• demand and network challenge,
• sourcing roadmap development,
• supplier portfolio development and optimisation,
• Supplier Relationship Management,
• complex commercial negotiations,
• freight-cost and index analysis,
• Total Cost of Ownership and financial evaluation,
• savings and value creation,
• stakeholder management and influencing,
• risk management,
• change management.

International Exposure

Exposure to different markets is important for this role.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have worked directly with international Supply Chain, Logistics, Manufacturing or business stakeholders and have had to manage different operational priorities, market conditions and service requirements.

Managing carriers or logistics suppliers operating internationally alone is not sufficient to demonstrate the level of international exposure expected for this position.

What Will Make You Successful in This Role?

Technical logistics knowledge alone will not be sufficient.

We are looking for someone who:

• takes ownership and proactively develops an agenda within their category scope;
• understands how category decisions translate into financial and operational results;
• combines strategic thinking with strong commercial execution;
• is comfortable taking full responsibility for selected logistics subcategories or strategic initiatives;
• challenges the status quo rather than automatically accepting existing transport models or business requirements;
• forms independent recommendations based on data, market knowledge and commercial judgement;
• builds strong relationships with international stakeholders while remaining able to challenge them constructively;
• understands the trade-offs between cost, service, capacity, risk and continuity of supply;
• works effectively in an environment where not all data, processes and structures are already mature;
• operates with a high degree of autonomy and accountability;
• works transparently and collaboratively;
• brings energy, resilience and a strong results orientation.

Languages

• Fluent business English is essential for regular cooperation, negotiations and decision-making with international stakeholders.
• Additional languages are an advantage.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Join a newly created global Indirect Procurement organisation at an important stage of its development.
• Take meaningful ownership of selected Logistics subcategories within a global Procurement structure.
• Develop and deploy category strategies rather than only execute individual sourcing projects.
• Contribute to a global Logistics category with annual spend of approximately EUR 65–75 million.
• Influence transportation models, supplier structures, service levels and commercial approaches across multiple markets.
• Work directly with international Supply Chain, Logistics, Manufacturing and Finance stakeholders.
• Combine Category Management, strategic procurement, commercial responsibility, supplier performance and stakeholder leadership in one role.
• Contribute to a significant savings and value-creation agenda.
• Participate in the transformation of Procurement towards a more strategic, business-oriented and financially accountable function.
• Work in an environment where ownership, independent thinking and constructive challenge are explicitly expected.

How to Apply

Please send your CV in English to: agnieszkapiatkowska@e-bigfish.com.pl

Application Note

Please include the following clause directly in your CV:

“I hereby agree to the processing of personal data included in my application for the needs necessary to carry out the recruitment process conducted by Big Fish in accordance with art. 6 par. 1 lit. a Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation). I also consent to processing of my personal data for the purposes of any future recruitment processes.”

Big Fish is an international recruitment and skills development company specialising in Procurement, proudly serving the market for over 20 years.

---

If you wish to apply, than send us your CV in English to: agnieszkapiatkowska@e-bigfish.com.pl

Please introduce in your CV the following clause:

"I hereby agree to the processing of personal data included in my application for the needs necessary to carry out the recruitment process carried out by Big Fish Polska Sp. z o.o in accordance with art. 6 par. 1 lit. a Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation). I also consent to processing of my personal data for the purposes of any future recruitment processes.