Are you an experienced procurement professional with a strong understanding of raw materials, commodity markets and strategic sourcing? Are you ready to take ownership of a €110 million global procurement portfolio and make a direct impact on an international manufacturing organisation? For an international market leader in industrial manufacturing, Robert Walters is recruiting a Global Procurement Category Manager – Raw Materials.

Global Procurement Category Manager – Raw Materials

Location: North Holland, The Netherlands
Salary Package: €100,000 – €120,000 annually
Scope: Global | €110M Annual Spend | 12 Production Sites

The Opportunity

Are you an experienced procurement professional with a strong understanding of raw materials, commodity markets and strategic sourcing? Are you ready to take ownership of a €110 million global procurement portfolio and make a direct impact on an international manufacturing organisation?

For an international market leader in industrial manufacturing, Robert Walters is recruiting a Global Procurement Category Manager – Raw Materials.

Our client is an established European organisation with a strong global presence, recognised for its commitment to innovation, sustainability and operational excellence. As part of an ambitious procurement transformation, the organisation is looking for a strategic and commercially driven professional to strengthen its Global Procurement function.

Reporting directly to the Head of Global Procurement, you will be responsible for developing and executing the global category strategy for critical raw materials, primarily PVC, plasticizers, yarn fibers and other oil derivatives.

With an annual spend of approximately €110 million, more than 200 suppliers and 12 production sites worldwide, this position offers significant strategic responsibility, international exposure and the opportunity to drive measurable business value.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Global Category Strategy: Develop and execute a multi-year procurement strategy focused on cost optimization, supplier innovation, security of supply and sustainable value creation.

• Strategic Sourcing & Negotiations: Lead complex international negotiations, establish long-term supplier partnerships and optimize contractual agreements across a global supplier portfolio.

• Commodity & Risk Management: Monitor raw material markets, anticipate price fluctuations, identify supply chain risks and explore hedging strategies to mitigate commodity price volatility.

• Supplier Relationship Management: Manage and develop relationships with more than 200 suppliers, driving performance, innovation and continuous improvement.

• International Stakeholder Management: Collaborate closely with R&D, Manufacturing, Quality and Product Management teams across 12 international production sites.

• Sustainability: Integrate responsible sourcing, circular economy principles and carbon footprint reduction into global procurement strategies.

• Digital Transformation: Contribute to the implementation of a new AI-enabled Source-to-Pay (S2P) platform, leveraging advanced analytics, market intelligence and automation to enhance procurement performance.

What You Bring

We are looking for a commercially driven, analytically strong procurement professional who combines strategic thinking with a pragmatic, hands-on approach.

• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Chemical Engineering or a related field.

• At least 5 years of strategic procurement experience, preferably within chemicals, plastics, commodities or industrial manufacturing.

• Proven experience managing substantial international procurement portfolios, ideally with annual spend responsibilities exceeding €100 million.

• Strong knowledge of commodity and raw material markets, particularly oil derivatives. Experience with PVC, plasticizers or yarn fibers is a significant advantage.

• Demonstrated expertise in strategic sourcing, complex negotiations, contract management and supplier development.

• Excellent analytical, commercial and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across different functions and cultures.

• A proactive, results-oriented personality with the ability to operate independently in a dynamic international environment.

• An interest in digital procurement solutions, advanced analytics and AI-driven technologies.

• Fluency in English; Dutch and additional languages are considered an advantage.

• Willingness to travel internationally approximately 20% of the time.

What Our Client Offers

You will join an established international organisation that combines the stability of a global market leader with the ambition to continuously innovate.

• Competitive Remuneration: An attractive total annual compensation package of approximately €100,000 – €120,000, depending on experience and qualifications.

• Strategic Ownership: Full responsibility for a global procurement category with an annual spend of approximately €110 million.

• International Exposure: Close collaboration with senior stakeholders, strategic suppliers and production facilities worldwide.

• Transformation & Innovation: The opportunity to contribute to a major digital procurement transformation, including AI-enabled sourcing and advanced analytics.

• Commercial Impact: The autonomy to shape global category strategies, negotiate strategic partnerships and deliver measurable business value.

• Sustainability: An active role in driving responsible sourcing and circular economy initiatives.

• Professional Environment: A collaborative international culture with direct reporting to the Head of Global Procurement.

Interested?

Are you ready to take ownership of a strategically important global procurement category and make a tangible impact within an international market leader?

Apply now or contact Robert Walters for a confidential discussion about this opportunity.

This role is managed by Walters People B.V., trading under the name Robert Walters.