Global Category Manager – Marketing & Commercial Services
Ref. PL100-R26-S01
Scope: Global
Location: Czech Republic (Prague) / Italy (Milan) / France (Paris) / Germany (Berlin) / Romania (Bucharest) / Poland (Warsaw)
Work Business travel: Occasional
Presence in Prague / HQ: For Category Managers hired outside the Czech Republic, up to once per month
model: Hybrid
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 Category Manager – Commercial & Market Services who will take global responsibility for procurement strategy and value creation across Marketing and Commercial Services.
The scope includes areas such as:
- Communication Agencies & Media,
- Market Research,
- Sales & Promotional Services,
- related Marketing and Trade Marketing services.
The category represents a significant spend base, with addressable spend below EUR 50 million.
The Category Manager will be responsible for developing and implementing the global category strategy, building and delivering a pipeline of savings and value-creation initiatives, increasing Procurement coverage and establishing a more strategic approach to managing commercial and marketing services across the organisation.
This is not a role focused primarily on executing requests generated by the business. The successful candidate will be expected to develop their own procurement agenda, identify opportunities, challenge existing requirements and commercial models where appropriate, and translate Procurement initiatives into measurable business and financial outcomes.
The role also includes direct management of 2 FTE.
Key Responsibilities
Category Strategy & Value Creation
- Develop and implement a global, multi-year category strategy for Commercial & Market Services.
- Analyse spend, demand, supplier structures, cost drivers and market dynamics 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 the business.
- Challenge demand, specifications, sourcing models and existing supplier arrangements where this can improve business outcomes.
- Develop preferred supplier models, rate cards, framework agreements and other mechanisms supporting greater transparency, standardisation and commercial effectiveness.
- Translate business and commercial priorities into actionable sourcing roadmaps.
- Drive value beyond price savings through demand management, supplier consolidation, standardisation, innovation and improved commercial models.
Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management
- Lead complex sourcing and tender processes across relevant Marketing and Commercial Services categories.
- Conduct supplier-market analysis, commercial evaluations, benchmarking and TCO assessments.
- Lead negotiations covering pricing structures, commercial models, service levels, performance commitments and contractual terms.
- Build and manage strategic supplier relationships.
- Develop appropriate supplier segmentation, governance and performance-management models.
- Monitor relevant market developments, including agency models, media inflation, data providers, digital transformation and changing commercial service models.
- Translate market intelligence into procurement recommendations and category decisions.
Business & Stakeholder Partnership
- Work directly with senior international stakeholders across Marketing, Commercial, Sales, Market Access, Finance, Legal, Compliance and other relevant 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 the business and financial implications of procurement decisions and communicate them effectively.
- Influence and challenge senior stakeholders constructively, including where Procurement recommendations require changes to established practices or business requirements.
- 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.
- Work closely with Finance to ensure that Procurement results are measurable, validated and reflected in financial performance.
- Contribute to budgeting and Long-Range Planning activities relevant to the category.
- Support spend visibility, cost evolution analysis and financial transparency.
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 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 category or subcategory strategies;
- strong hands-on experience in Marketing / Commercial Services Procurement;
- 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 stakeholders across multiple countries, not only managing international suppliers;
- the ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders in different markets and functions;
- experience driving procurement transformation, supplier consolidation, common sourcing approaches or other significant changes in how 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 Marketing / Commercial Services.
This may include areas such as:
- marketing and communication agencies,
- media,
- market research and data services,
- promotional and sales services,
- related marketing and trade-marketing services.
We do not expect equally deep experience across every subcategory.
More important is a strong understanding of the overall category: its supplier market, commercial and cost models, key sourcing levers and stakeholder environment.
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,
- TCO and financial evaluation,
- stakeholder influencing and change management.
What Will Make You Successful in This Role?
Technical 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 business requirements;
- forms independent recommendations based on data, market understanding and commercial judgement;
- is comfortable influencing and constructively confronting senior stakeholders;
- looks for solutions and opportunities rather than waiting for direction;
- operates with a high degree of autonomy and accountability;
- works transparently and collaboratively in an international environment;
- 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 significant international category rather than inherit a fully mature procurement model.
- Shape category strategy, sourcing priorities and supplier-management approaches across multiple countries.
- Work within an organisation where Procurement has a strong mandate to challenge existing approaches and deliver measurable financial results.
- Cooperate directly with senior international business stakeholders.
- Combine Category Management, transformation, commercial strategy, people leadership and hands-on value creation.
- Work 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.