Indirect Category Manager - EMEA

Indirect Category Manager - EMEA

Location: Tognana, Italy (Primary) | Bologna, Italy (Secondary)
Function: EMEA Indirect Procurement
Reports to: Director, EMEA Indirect Procurement 

About Vertiv

At Vertiv, we design, manufacture and service the critical infrastructure technologies that enable vital applications for data centres, communication networks and commercial and industrial environments. We are looking for an experienced procurement professional to join our EMEA Indirect Procurement team as an Indirect Category Manager.

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of strategic indirect spend categories, shape procurement strategy, drive supplier performance, and deliver measurable business value across the EMEA region. 

The Opportunity

As the Indirect Category Manager, you will own and execute category strategies across assigned indirect spend categories, leading the full category management lifecycle from market intelligence and sourcing strategy through to supplier relationship management, contract governance, and continuous improvement initiatives. You will play a key role in driving cost savings, mitigating supply risks, and enhancing procurement performance across Vertiv's EMEA operations

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Sourcing

• Develop and execute category strategies aligned to business objectives.


• Lead end-to-end sourcing activities including RFI, RFP and RFQ processes.


• Conduct market analysis, spend reviews, supplier assessments and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) evaluations.


• Establish and maintain Preferred Supplier Lists and negotiate commercial agreements.


• Benchmark suppliers, pricing and service levels to ensure competitiveness. 

Supplier Relationship Management

• Manage strategic supplier relationships and lead regular business reviews.


• Negotiate contracts and commercial frameworks.


• Develop supplier performance improvement plans and risk mitigation strategies.


• Drive innovation, sustainability and continuous improvement initiatives across the supplier base. 

Stakeholder Partnership

• Partner with Finance, Operations, HR, IT, Facilities and other business functions across EMEA.


• Support business case development and investment decisions through commercial and market insights.


• Influence stakeholders to adopt procurement best practices and preferred supplier solutions.


• Ensure early procurement engagement to maximise value creation opportunities. 

Governance & Process Improvement

• Drive procurement process optimisation and compliance across the sourcing lifecycle.


• Promote adoption of e-Sourcing tools and Oracle procurement solutions.


• Monitor and report on savings, supplier performance, compliance and category KPIs.


• Lead regional procurement improvement initiatives and knowledge-sharing activities. 

What We're Looking For

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Economics or a related discipline.


• Minimum 5 years' experience in Procurement and/or Category Management.


• Demonstrated success developing and executing category strategies with measurable savings delivery.


• Strong experience leading sourcing events, supplier negotiations and contract management activities.


• Excellent analytical, commercial and stakeholder management skills.


• Fluent English communication skills. 

Preferred

• CIPS qualification or equivalent professional certification.


• Experience working within a multinational or matrix organisation.


• Knowledge of Oracle ERP systems, e-Sourcing platforms and spend analytics tools.


• Additional European language skills would be advantageous. 

Why Join Vertiv?

• Influence procurement strategy across a global organisation.


• Work with senior stakeholders and strategic suppliers across EMEA.


• Drive transformational sourcing and supplier management initiatives.


• Be part of a collaborative, high-performing procurement team with strong career development opportunities. 

If you're a commercially minded procurement professional looking for an opportunity to shape category strategy and deliver meaningful business impact across an international organisation, we'd love to hear from you.

The anticipated salary range for this role in the Piove di Sacco, Italy locality is between  €52,621 to €65,776 gross per year, based on a 40-hour work week. Salary ranges for other geographic localities may vary. Certain roles may be eligible for additional benefits. Where applicable, a comprehensive overview of the full benefits package and any additional compensation will be provided during the initial interview. Compensation ranges are determined based on objective, gender-neutral criteria including skills, experience, and job responsibilities.

 #LI-KM3

Apply today and help power the future with Vertiv.