Category Manager - Assets and Spare Parts

Job description:

Job Objective

The Category Manager – Assets & Spare Parts is responsible for developing and implementing sourcing strategies for capital equipment, machinery, maintenance materials, and spare parts to maximize asset availability, operational efficiency, and lifecycle value. The role ensures the timely procurement of technical equipment and services while optimizing capital expenditure and supporting business continuity.

Key Accountabilities

Asset Procurement Management

• Manage the procurement of capital equipment, production machinery, engineering assets, maintenance materials, and technical equipment to support the Group's operational, maintenance, and capital investment objectives.
• Lead sourcing activities for CAPEX projects, including supplier identification, technical evaluations, commercial negotiations, and contract award, ensuring value for money and timely project delivery.
• Standardize procurement practices for engineering equipment and technical materials to improve consistency, governance, and operational efficiency across the Group.
• Monitor market developments, emerging technologies, and supplier capabilities to identify opportunities for innovation, cost optimization, and operational improvement.

Spare Parts Management

• Manage the sourcing and procurement of OEM and non-OEM spare parts to ensure equipment reliability, operational continuity, and maintenance effectiveness.
• Optimize spare parts inventory by balancing asset availability, service levels, inventory holding costs, and working capital requirements.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, and Production teams to forecast spare parts demand, establish replenishment plans, and minimize equipment downtime.
• Identify critical spare parts and implement sourcing and inventory strategies to mitigate supply risks and support business continuity.

Commercial & Supplier Management

• Lead commercial negotiations with equipment manufacturers, distributors, and technical suppliers to secure competitive pricing, favorable contractual terms, and long-term commercial value.
• Conduct spends analysis, cost benchmarking, should-cost modelling, and total cost of ownership (TCO) assessments to support procurement decisions and identify value optimization opportunities.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers to improve product quality, technical support, innovation, and service performance.
• Evaluate suppliers based on technical capability, quality standards, lifecycle support, commercial competitiveness, and overall business performance.
• Monitor supplier performance against contractual commitments and agreed KPIs, implementing corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives where necessary.

Asset Lifecycle & Cost Management

• Apply lifecycle costing principles to procurement decisions to maximize asset performance, operational efficiency, and return on investment.
• Support asset replacement planning by providing commercial analysis, supplier benchmarking, and procurement recommendations.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Finance to evaluate investment proposals, replacement strategies, and long-term asset management plans.

Business Partnership & Technical Collaboration

• Build effective partnerships with Engineering, Maintenance, Production, Production Planning, Projects, Warehouse, Quality, and Finance to ensure procurement activities support operational priorities and asset reliability.
• Provide procurement expertise throughout equipment acquisition, factory acceptance testing (FAT), machine commissioning, qualification, and asset upgrade initiatives.
• Support capital projects and continuous improvement initiatives by delivering commercial insights, market intelligence, and sourcing recommendations that enhance operational performance and long-term asset value.

Comunications & Working Relationships

Internal

• Group CEO and C-Levels
• BUs Functional Heads
• Legal
• Compliance

External

• Suppliers
• Contractors and Service Providers
• External Auditors

Qualifications, Experience & Job Spesific Skills

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Administration, Engineering, Finance, or a related discipline.
• Professional procurement certification such as CIPS, CPSM, CSCP, MCIPS, ISM, or equivalent is highly desirable.

Minimum Experience

• Minimum 8–10 years of procurement, strategic sourcing, or category management experience.
• At least 3–5 years of experience managing procurement categories within a large industrial, manufacturing, or multinational organization.
• Proven experience in supplier negotiations, contract management, and cost optimization initiatives.

Job-Specific Skills

• Demonstrates the ability to develop and execute category tactic strategy that optimize cost, quality, service, and supplier performance while supporting the Group's business objectives.
• Proven ability to lead sourcing initiatives, establish strong supplier partnerships, and manage supplier performance to ensure value, innovation, and supply continuity.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to negotiate favorable contractual terms, manage supplier agreements, and mitigate commercial and contractual risks.
• Ability to analyze procurement spend, identify cost-saving opportunities, and implement value optimization initiatives through effective cost management and total cost of ownership principles.
• Sound knowledge of procurement policies, governance frameworks, and regulatory requirements to ensure procurement activities are conducted ethically, transparently, and in full compliance with organizational standards.

Competencies

Business Acumen Result Orientation Establishing Relationships Thinking Broadly