Global Category Manager – IT

Global Category Manager – IT | BIG FISH S.C.
03.11.2026

Global Category Manager – IT

Job location:
Location: Czech Republic (Prague) / Italy (Milan) / France (Paris) / Germany (Berlin) / Romania (Bucharest) / Poland (Warsaw) Work model: Hybrid

Ref:
PL100-R26-S02

Global Category Manager – IT

Ref. PL100-R26-S02
Scope: Global
Location: Czech Republic (Prague) / Italy (Milan) / France (Paris) / Germany (Berlin) / Romania (Bucharest) / Poland (Warsaw)
Work model: Hybrid
Business travel: Occasional
Presence in Prague / HQ: For Category Managers hired outside the Czech Republic, up to once per month
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 not only to execute sourcing projects, but also to identify opportunities independently, build category strategies and savings pipelines, challenge demand and existing ways of working, increase Procurement coverage and establish more structured supplier and category management across the organisation.

This is therefore an opportunity for an experienced procurement professional who wants to shape how a global category is managed rather than inherit an already mature and fully established model.

Position Overview

We are looking for an experienced Global Category Manager – IT who will take global responsibility for procurement strategy and value creation across IT categories.

The scope includes areas such as:

  • IT Services,
  • Software and Licensing,
  • SaaS,
  • Cloud Services,
  • IT Hardware and Infrastructure,
  • related digital and technology services.

The current annual spend is below EUR 40 million.

The Category Manager will be responsible for developing and implementing the global IT category strategy, building and delivering a pipeline of savings and value-creation initiatives, increasing Procurement coverage and establishing a more strategic approach to IT Procurement across the organisation.

This is not a role focused primarily on executing sourcing requests generated by IT or the business. The successful candidate will be expected to develop their own procurement agenda, identify opportunities, challenge demand and commercial models where appropriate, and translate Procurement initiatives into measurable business and financial outcomes.

IT is becoming increasingly centralised within the organisation, which means that the role will work closely with HQ and senior IT stakeholders while also operating across an international business environment.

The role also includes direct management of 2 FTE.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Value Creation

  • Develop and implement a global, multi-year category strategy across IT Services, Software, Licensing, SaaS, Cloud, Hardware and related technology areas.
  • Analyse spend, demand, supplier structures, licensing models, consumption patterns and cost drivers to identify sourcing and value-creation opportunities.
  • Build and deliver a pipeline of savings and commercial improvement initiatives.
  • Increase Procurement coverage across areas historically managed partly or entirely by IT or other business functions.
  • Challenge demand, specifications, consumption models and existing supplier arrangements where this can improve business and financial outcomes.
  • Develop sourcing roadmaps, preferred supplier models and governance frameworks.
  • Support value creation beyond price savings through licence optimisation, application rationalisation, demand consolidation, supplier consolidation and standardisation.
  • Translate IT and digital priorities into commercially effective procurement strategies.

Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management

  • Lead complex sourcing and tender processes across relevant IT categories.
  • Conduct supplier-market analysis, commercial evaluations, benchmarking and Total Cost of Ownership assessments.
  • Lead complex negotiations covering pricing, licensing structures, service models, commercial terms, service levels and contractual commitments.
  • Build and manage strategic relationships with key technology suppliers.
  • Develop appropriate supplier segmentation, governance and performance-management models.
  • Monitor developments in software licensing, cloud economics, IT services, technology suppliers, AI and automation.
  • Translate market intelligence into sourcing recommendations and category decisions.
  • Identify and manage relevant commercial, supplier and continuity risks.

Business & Stakeholder Partnership

  • Work directly with senior international stakeholders across IT, Digital, Cybersecurity, Finance, Legal, Compliance and other relevant business functions.
  • Manage stakeholder relationships across different countries, business units and organisational levels.
  • Act as a strategic Procurement partner rather than solely a sourcing-service provider.
  • Understand IT priorities, technology roadmaps and the financial implications                      of procurement decisions.
  • Influence and challenge senior stakeholders constructively, including where Procurement recommendations require changes to demand, supplier models                    or established practices.
  • Build credibility for Procurement as a commercially oriented function with a clear mandate to create measurable value.

Financial Performance

  • Take ownership of category savings and value-creation initiatives.
  • Build and actively manage a credible savings pipeline.
  • Work closely with Finance to ensure Procurement results are measurable, validated and reflected in financial performance.
  • Support budgeting and Long-Range Planning activities relevant to IT spend.
  • Contribute to spend visibility, cost evolution analysis, forecast accuracy and financial transparency.
  • Understand the financial impact of licensing, cloud, service and infrastructure sourcing decisions.

People Management

  • Directly manage and develop a team of 2 FTE.
  • Set priorities and provide strategic direction while enabling a high level of autonomy and accountability.
  • Support the development of Category Management, Strategic Sourcing, negotiation and commercial capabilities within the team.
  • Create a collaborative and transparent working environment focused on business results and effective problem-solving.

Experience & Profile

We are particularly interested in candidates with:

  • substantial experience in Category Management within Indirect Procurement;
  • proven experience independently developing and implementing IT category or subcategory strategies;
  • strong hands-on procurement experience in IT Services;
  • broader exposure to areas such as Software, Licensing, SaaS, Cloud, Hardware or Infrastructure;
  • experience managing complex sourcing initiatives and negotiations with significant financial impact;
  • experience identifying and delivering measurable savings and broader commercial value;
  • experience operating in an international matrix organisation;
  • direct experience working with business and IT stakeholders across multiple countries, not only managing international technology suppliers;
  • the ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders in different markets and functions;
  • experience driving procurement transformation, supplier consolidation, standardisation or other significant changes in how IT categories are managed;
  • strong financial and commercial acumen;
  • people-management experience, preferably leading a small procurement team.

Category Expertise

Candidates should have meaningful procurement experience within IT Procurement, with particularly strong exposure to IT Services.

Relevant experience may include:

  • managed services,
  • application development and support,
  • software and licensing,
  • SaaS,
  • cloud services,
  • infrastructure,
  • hardware,
  • other technology services.

We do not expect equally deep experience across every IT subcategory.

More important is a strong understanding of how IT categories operate, including:

  • supplier and technology markets,
  • cost and pricing structures,
  • licensing models,
  • service-delivery models,
  • cloud economics,
  • commercial risks,
  • key sourcing and optimisation levers,
  • stakeholder requirements and decision-making dynamics.

Key Procurement Capabilities

The successful candidate should demonstrate strong capability in:

  • Category Management and category strategy development,
  • Strategic Sourcing,
  • spend and opportunity analysis,
  • supplier-market analysis,
  • demand challenge and demand management,
  • complex commercial negotiations,
  • supplier consolidation and portfolio optimisation,
  • SRM and supplier governance,
  • savings and value-creation methodologies,
  • Total Cost of Ownership and financial evaluation,
  • contract and commercial model assessment,
  • stakeholder influencing and change management.

What Will Make You Successful in This Role?

Technical IT Procurement expertise alone will not be sufficient.

We are looking for someone who:

  • takes ownership and develops their own Procurement agenda;
  • is comfortable entering a category where not all data, processes and structures are already mature;
  • combines strategic thinking with strong execution;
  • understands how Procurement decisions translate into financial and business results;
  • challenges the status quo rather than automatically executing existing IT or business requirements;
  • forms independent recommendations based on data, market understanding and commercial judgement;
  • is comfortable influencing and constructively challenging senior stakeholders;
  • can operate effectively in an international and cross-functional environment;
  • looks for solutions and opportunities rather than waiting for direction;
  • 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 European languages are an advantage.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

  • Join a newly created global Indirect Procurement organisation at an important stage of its development.
  • Take genuine ownership of a strategically important global IT category.
  • Shape the category strategy rather than inherit a fully mature procurement model.
  • Work closely with senior IT and Digital stakeholders in an increasingly centralised technology environment.
  • Build and deliver a significant savings and value-creation agenda.
  • Influence supplier models, demand, licensing, service structures and broader IT commercial decisions.
  • Work within an organisation where Procurement has a strong mandate to challenge existing approaches and deliver measurable financial results.
  • Combine Category Management, transformation, commercial strategy, people leadership and hands-on value creation.
  • Operate in an environment that values autonomy, business understanding, constructive challenge and independent thinking.
  • For Category Managers hired outside the Czech Republic, presence at Prague HQ is expected no more than once per month, with only occasional business travel.

 

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.