Regional Category Buyer - NPM Purchasing

About This Role

This role is responsible for developing and executing regional category strategies for CapEx, IT, Energy, and Utilities to support ContiTech's business objectives. The Regional Category Buyer drives supply chain performance, delivers cost improvements, and fosters strategic supplier partnerships. The role acts as a key interface between Procurement, internal Business Partners, and suppliers, ensuring best-in-class sourcing practices, risk mitigation, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead all related purchasing activities in the respective region for CapEx, IT, Energy, and Utilities, together with the Global Category Head
• Drive negotiations considering best commercial and operational aspects and ensure compliance with valid rules
• Manage the RfQ process for demands/shopping carts, offer evaluation, creation of offer comparison, including the awarding of suppliers
• Develop and execute regional category strategies aligned with global category objectives
• Build and maintain category roadmaps, sourcing pipelines, and annual value creation plans
• Ensure full coverage of all business requirements in the received offers
• Ensure contract coverage and procurement compliance
• Act as point of escalation for operational topics
• Support operational improvements by negotiating commercial benefits
• Develop, improve, and maintain rate card standards
• Ensure proper PO execution and define automation strategies within your assigned area
• Keep alignment between purchasing and internal customer strategy

Requirements

• Academic degree in supply chain, engineering, or comparable qualification
• Minimum 5 years of experience in strategic sourcing and category management within international organizations, preferably in CapEx, IT, Energy, and Utilities, with a proven track record of delivering savings, value creation, and supplier performance improvements
• Proven experience leading cross-functional sourcing, transformation, and implementation projects in an international environment
• Strong affinity for digital procurement solutions, data analytics, eSourcing platforms, AI-supported procurement tools, and process automation
• Ability to influence and align senior stakeholders across CapEx, IT, Energy, and Utilities and Procurement functions
• Knowledge of MS Office tools as well as in SAP R/3 and World Class Sourcing Platforms
• Excellent communication skills in local language and in English, both verbal and written
• Affinity for cooperation with people and intercultural competences
• Excellent negotiation, supplier management, and commercial leadership skills with the ability to achieve sustainable business results