Category Leader – IT

POSITION PURPOSE
As Category Leader – IT, you are responsible for leading and executing sourcing activities across IT categories, including SaaS, IT services, IT hardware, cloud solutions, and licensing and responsible to support designing, deploying, and continuously evolving the global sourcing strategies for IT hardware, software, and related IT services across the organization.

POSITION PURPOSE
As Category Leader – IT, you are responsible for leading and executing sourcing activities across IT categories, including SaaS, IT services, IT hardware, cloud solutions, and licensing and responsible to support designing, deploying, and continuously evolving the global sourcing strategies for IT hardware, software, and related IT services across the organization.

Operating in a highly regulated and cost sensitive generics pharmaceutical environment, the role is critical to ensuring IT performance, cybersecurity, compliance, and cost efficiency, while enabling digital transformation and business continuity.

You act as a strategic partner to IT, Digital, Finance, and Business teams. You independently drive sourcing initiatives, supplier interactions, and contract negotiations within your scope, while supporting category strategy and working under the direction of the Category Manager or procurement leadership for broader strategic topics.

Main Accountabilities And Duties

Category Strategy & Value Creation

Actively support the development, updates, and periodic review of the Global IT category strategy, working closely with the Category Manager and procurement leadership

Proactively gather and consolidate business and IT requirements, including demand forecasts, functional needs, and consumption patterns, to ensure category strategies are aligned with business priorities

Contribute to the execution of category strategies across IT hardware (end-user devices, infrastructure, network equipment), software (ERP, business applications, SaaS, licensing), and IT services (managed services, cloud, application development, support & maintenance)

Support the alignment of category strategies with IT and digital roadmaps, cybersecurity and data integrity requirements, cost competitiveness, and standardization objectives

Contribute to value creation initiatives beyond savings, including license and application rationalization, vendor consolidation, platform standardization, and adoption of scalable and cloud-based solutions

Monitor IT market trends (software vendors, cloud economics, licensing models, supplier landscape, AI and automation) and translate insights into sourcing recommendations and category inputs

IT Sourcing and Procurement Execution

Execute category plans and lead tactical sourcing activities for assigned sub-categories (RFIs/RFPs, bid and supplier evaluation, procurement recommendation, contract implementation) in line with the strategy defined by the Category Manager

Conduct commercial evaluations, including pricing analysis, benchmarking, and total cost of ownership (TCO)

Ensure structured and competitive supplier selection processes

Ensure contracts align with agreed commercial terms and compliance requirements

Act as a key procurement contact for stakeholders, translating business needs into sourcing actions

Manage operational supplier relationships incl. day-to-day communications, order confirmations, delivery tracking, and escalation of quality or performance issues

Support supplier onboarding and qualification processes, including collection of required documentation (e.g., quality certificates, insurance, compliance attestations)

Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)

Lead strategic supplier interactions and conduct negotiations within defined scope, focusing on pricing and commercial terms

Identify and drive cost optimization opportunities (e.g., license optimization, demand consolidation)

Support the implementation and continuous improvement of the SRM framework defined by the Category Manager

Monitor supplier performance using KPIs and scorecards; coordinate corrective actions with suppliers and internal functions; surface recurring or strategic risks to the Category Manager.

Ensure risk mitigation through…