Category Manager

About Convatec

Pioneering trusted medical solutions to improve the lives we touch: Convatec is a global medical products and technologies company focused on solutions for the management of chronic conditions with leading positions in Advanced Wound Care Ostomy Care Continence Care and Infusion Care. With more than 10000 colleagues we provide our products and services in around 90 countries united by a promise to be forever caring. Our solutions provide a range of benefits from infection prevention and protection of at-risk skin to improved patient outcomes and reduced care costs. Convatecs revenues in 2024 were over $2 billion. The company is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index (LSE:CTEC). To learn more please visit

Position Overview:

This is a key role within the Global Procurement function driving a high-performance culture and setting the standard for Procurement Excellence. We are looking for a Category Manager who will bring a strategic and innovative Category Management approach to Convatec as we continue our transformation journey.

The Category Manager will be accountable for the end-to-end Global Category Management of a defined Category or Sub-Category within the Packaging & Sterilisation group within Convatec Direct Procurement.

You will be lead the development of short medium and long term strategic plans for the category that align to current and future customer/business needs.

This will include defining category strategy through to key stakeholder and supplier interaction that delivers optimal levels of cost management resilience and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

• You will develop fully integrated and customer/business-aligned Category Strategy(s) for the Packaging & Sterilisation category including but not limited to Primary Secondary and Tertiary Packaging IFUs Labels Sterilisation (inc Lab Testing and Validation) inc ancillary packaging as required. assigned spend area(s) engaging with key stakeholder groups in doing this. This could be on a regional or global basis dependent on the category profile.
• You will manage critical relationships (stakeholder and supplier) to ensure that Category Strategies are highly aligned to current and future business needs and that the supply base is capable of supporting these strategies.
• You will engage with key category stakeholders and suppliers to develop strategic plans in order to deliver category strategy.
• You will be responsible for the implementation of the category plan to ensure that procurement activities deliver the expected value to the business.
• You will be accountable for delivering the contracts agreements and sourcing strategies for the supply of materials/products and/or services that support defined strategies.
• You will be accountable for the Source to Contract (S2C) process including identification of opportunities sourcing strategy (e.g. RFP or E-Auction) evaluation recommendation and award.
• You will be accountable through Supplier Relationship Management for ensuring that the supplier base supporting your category(s) is continually assessed and developed to meet changing business/customer demands. This will include identifying and driving continuous improvement/innovation initiatives that will generate value through increased supplier performance and/or capabilities.
• You will be responsible for ensuring ESG targets are met for the suppliers that fall within your category(s).
• Depending on complexity of categories being managed you might be required to line manage a Strategic Buyer(s) to ensure timely implementation of category plans.

Skills & Experience:

• 5 years working within a Strategic Procurement/Sourcing environment employing a formal category/sourcing management process.
• Previous experience obtained from working in the Packaging & Sterilization Category with ability to engage technically with suppliers and support cross functional discussions with tool makers
• Demonstrable knowledge of total cost of ownership models and detailed understanding of key market drivers
• A clear understanding of Category Management principles with a demonstrated ability to define a strategy and translate it into actionable plans and manage these plans through to implementation.
• Able to work with a range of technically and culturally diverse people in a matrix environment influencing them to achieve goals in a timely manner to help drive business results.
• Able to influence senior key stakeholders and comfortable challenging requirements to secure best value for the business.
• Experience working with e-procurement tools to find evaluate & select the best vendors to support category plans.
• An autonomous self-starter with a good understanding of how to map out and build a relevant stakeholder network.
• Able to demonstrate the values and behaviors required to be successful in the role and support the Convatec Forever Caring Promise.
• Excellent inter-personal & communication skills with ability to communicate through a variety of formats to an audience of internal stakeholders of differing seniority and with external partners.
• Results and solution oriented with a focus on meeting required targets and deadlines.
• Possess significant ability for analytical problem-solving and analysis/interpretation of complex problems incorporating data gathered from a variety of sources/software tools.
• Good understanding of financial principles resource planning and allocation to support delivery of a Category Plan to deliver cost management resilience and continuous improvement.
• Experience of negotiating with suppliers on all commercial and contractual matters and applying judgement as to what constitutes an acceptable level of contractual risk and supply resilience.
• Able to promote and foster new ideas and strategies among internal and external stakeholders challenging the status quo with sustainable solution(s).
• Need to demonstrate and apply analytical as well as strategic thinking skills support teamwork display exceptional judgment collaboration and decision-making.

Qualifications/Education:

• Educated to degree level / MCIPS to level 6 or equivalent
• 5 years working in a Strategic Procurement / Sourcing / Process Engineering / Continuous Improvement Environment

Dimensions:

Team

• Direct reports (where applicable);
• Strategic Buyer Junior Buyer Procurement Interns

Principal Contacts & Purpose of Contact

Internal Quality Operations Technology and Innovation (including Sustaining Engineering) Advanced Operations Regulatory Supply Chain Marketing Finance and others as required.

External Suppliers and other relevant external stakeholders

Travel Requirements

• Travel will be required with this role including to other Convatec manufacturing facilities and to supplier facilities as required. This could be domestic or international travel location dependent

Languages

• Speaking: Yes English*

• Writing/Reading: Yes English*

*additional languages as required or nice to have

Working Conditions (Applicable local workplace laws and statutes should be included in the description of working conditions)

• Remote with business travel

Special Factors

• Flexibility outside of core working hours may be required at times.

Ready to join us

At Convatec were pioneering trusted medical solutions to improve the lives we touch. If youre ready to make a real impact apply today and help us bring our Forever Caring promise to life.

#LI-KM1

#LI-Hybrid

Beware of scams online or from individuals claiming to represent Convatec

A formal recruitment process is required for all our opportunities prior to any offer of employment. This will include an interview confirmed by an official Convatec email address.

If you receive a suspicious approach over social media text message email or phone call about recruitment at Convatec do not disclose any personal information or pay any fees whatsoever. If youre unsure please contact us at .

Equal opportunities

Convatec provides equal employment opportunities for all current employees and applicants for employment. This policy means that no one will be discriminated against because of race religion creed color national origin nationality citizenship ancestry sex age marital status physical or mental disability affectional or sexual orientation gender identity military or veteran status genetic predisposing characteristics or any other basis prohibited by law.

Notice to Agency and Search Firm Representatives

Convatec is not accepting unsolicited resumes from agencies and/or search firms for this job posting. Resumes submitted to any Convatec employee by a third party agency and/or search firm without a valid written and signed search agreement will become the sole property of Convatec. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired for this position as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral. Thank you.

Already a Convatec employee

If you are an active employee at Convatec please do not apply here. Go to the Career Worklet on your Workday home page and View Convatec Internal Career Site - Find Jobs. Thank you!