Global Category Manager

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Global Category Manager If you like turning spend data into smart sourcing decisions, this role is for you. As our Global Category Manager, you’ll join JLL’s global Corporate Procurement team, which manages over $1.2 billion in annual spend, as our marketing spend grows toward $250 million by 2030. You’ll build category strategies and strong commercial cases, with a focus on meetings and events, and bring new supplier ideas into our marketing supply chain.

You’ll also help us capture the value AI is creating as agencies change how they work and price. Along the way, you’ll partner with colleagues across regions and functions and build your expertise across a broad marketing portfolio.

What you’ll doHelp shape and deliver global category strategies and sub-category responsibilities, from gathering business requirements to stakeholder management and delivery, feeding insights into global work streams and responding to ad hoc requests.

Develop regional and local strategies that fit global frameworks, and make sure they follow global toolkits, governance and policies.

Support sourcing from start to finish: supplier due diligence and assessment, request for proposal (RFP) and bid management, contract negotiation and transition into delivery.

Work with business partners to manage agency relationships and commercial performance, so we deliver full contract value, including efficiency gains as agencies adopt generative AI.Use AI and advanced analytics to benchmark agency costs, spot pricing anomalies and quantify efficiency opportunities from new technology.

Own savings and benefits reconciliation, making sure savings are captured, validated and approved through the right process.

Support supplier diversity, sustainability and ethical sourcing across agency partnerships, and manage supplier risk with clear mitigation plans.

Spot and carry out process improvements, including updating outdated policies and procedures.

What we’re looking forA degree and a background in strategic procurement, category management or management consulting, with exposure to marketing or professional services categories.

A solid grasp of procurement fundamentals: sourcing methods, contract and pricing negotiation, and savings calculation and validation.

Confidence using AI tools and advanced analytics for spend analysis, benchmarking and insight.

The ability to work with large datasets and build clear, useful reports and dashboards, backed by strong Excel and MS Office skills.

Strong project management, analytical and presentation skills.

A collaborative, influencing style that helps you build lasting relationships with internal and external partners and work well across regional and global stakeholders in a matrix environment.

An entrepreneurial mindset, sharp business acumen and a commitment to ethical sourcing, with a record of delivering results in challenging environments.

A plus: experience in marketing category management, agency-side roles or consulting; knowledge of meetings and events sourcing and agency cost structures; an understanding of how AI and automation are changing marketing costs and workflows; or a master’s degree (MBA, or MS in a field such as Supply…