Group Category Manager - Foaming (all genders)

Join #TeamGreiner

Do you enjoy turning market insights into sourcing strategies and building strong supplier partnerships? As Group Category Manager - Foaming, you will own a substantial spend category for Greiner, lead strategic sourcing initiatives, and collaborate with stakeholders worldwide to ensure sustainable value creation, supply security, and continuous improvement. If you are ready to make an impact on a global scale, we look forward to meeting you.

Your Challenge

• Develop, own, and execute the global sourcing strategy for a polyols, isocyanates, additives and other components for production of flexible polyurethane foam in alignment with business objectives and market developments.
• Analyse global supply markets, identify opportunities and risks, and derive strategic initiatives to ensure long-term competitiveness and security of supply.
• Act as the global point of contact for category-related topics and drive alignment across regions and business functions.
• Collaborate closely with S&OP, Supply Planning, Operations, and Strategic Sourcing to ensure a proactive and integrated category approach.
• Lead international tender processes, including the preparation of RFQs, supplier evaluations, commercial analyses, and contract negotiations.
• Drive supplier consolidation, optimization initiatives, and value-creation projects while balancing cost, quality, service, and sustainability requirements.
• Establish category standards, governance structures, and sourcing guidelines for regional execution.
• Monitor supplier performance, category KPIs, market trends, and cost drivers, initiating corrective actions and improvement measures where required.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with key suppliers to foster innovation, performance, and long-term collaboration.
• Coordinate the introduction and approval of new materials together with R&D, Quality, and Operations, ensuring effective change management and business continuity.

Your Profile

• University degree in Business Administration, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Chemistry, or a comparable field; alternatively, equivalent professional qualifications combined with substantial procurement experience.
• Several years of experience in strategic sourcing, category management, or direct procurement within an international environment.
• Strong understanding of chemical market – preferable polyols, isocyanates and additives for polyurethane sector, or other materials from petrochemical industry.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing category strategies and managing supplier relationships on a global level.
• Strong business acumen combined with analytical thinking and a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence cross-functional and international teams.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills with a confident and professional presence.
• Experience working in complex, international manufacturing or industrial environments is an advantage.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are considered a plus.

Our Offer

You can expect a modern working environment with a high degree of creative freedom. In addition, we offer a wide range of attractive social benefits, a comprehensive training program and an open and innovative team that is looking forward to meeting you.

 

In accordance with legal requirements in Austria, we are obliged to disclose the minimum annual gross salary for this position as defined by the collective agreement, which is € 66,917.62 (Chemical Industry Collective Agreement). We are, of course, willing to offer a market-aligned overpayment depending on your individual qualifications and professional experience.

 

For applicants based in other countries, the respective local salary guidelines and regulations apply.