(Jr.) Category Manager (m/f/d)

Job Function: Procurement

Job Sub Function: Strategic Sourcing

Job Category: Professional

All Job Posting Locations: Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Job Description

(Junior) Category Manager for Direct Materials in Aachen, Germany

Abiomed, a part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech is recruiting for a Category Manager for Direct Precision Materials, located in Aachen, Germany.

This position will report to the Associate Director for Direct Precision Materials (DPM). The DPM category is key for Abiomed’s business and comprises subcategories of Metals, Ceramics, Precision Plastics, Packaging and Chemicals. This position as category manager will be in the lead for at least one of the above-mentioned subcategories. The Category Manager will develop, and/or support sourcing strategies and supplier strategies under guidance of Category Leader. In this role, you will plan, direct, and support the delivery against targets for financial performance, supply reliability across quality & service, and compliance adherence. This responsibility includes the need for strong engagement with internal stakeholders (particularly those located in Aachen, Germany) and robust connection with our key external partners (particularly Germany based).

Key Responsibilities

• Support the category sourcing strategy for the defined portfolio through business needs assessment, Market intelligence, supplier evaluations and sourcing choices.
• Proactively engage business partners regionally to identify needs and incorporate those needs into sub-category strategies.
• Build regional supply network through developing, identifying suppliers applying deep subject matter expertise based on supply market analysis, industry intelligence.
• Understand regional supply market trends, competitor analysis to deliver proactive sourcing strategies.

Sourcing

• Support sourcing initiatives to identify the right supplier partners, influence decisions, delivering on-going value improvements while driving competitive advantage.
• Develop spend analysis and gather market intelligence in alignment with business goals.
• Develop and support cost management initiatives; prepare and execute RFQs for medium to high complexity sourcing decisions; conduct negotiations with suppliers.
• Build short term, and long-term capacities with suppliers to support business growth.
• Deliver on financial, service, reliability, quality, innovation, and growth commitments.
• Build and maintain relationships throughout Abiomed that results in dynamic interactive dialogue on a broad range of perspectives and information critical to the development of optimal approaches and solutions.
• Support sourcing activities for defined categories to support new products under development.

Supplier Management

• Develop and manage supplier partnerships to drive performance delivery, risk mitigation, and value through supplier enabled innovation.
• Cultivate and use strategic relationships with key business partners (e.g., Internal partners, supplier leadership) to shape, optimize, and diversify the supply base.
• Develop innovative and sustainable solutions to identify and mitigate risk, drive long‑term, end-to‑end value, and achieve unmet business needs. Identify and pursue opportunities to develop supplier capabilities.
• Support business review meetings with suppliers that include holistic supplier performance management and review.

Contracting

• Support contract creation, approval, administration, and compliance to maximize financial and operational performance while minimizing risk.

Project Support

• Represent procurement in end-to‑end supply chain initiatives of the manufacturing network, capacity programs, digital tools/technology adoption, and resiliency.
• Support the development and drive the procurement vision for, with and through our stakeholder community.
• Support projects in defined spend scope, to deliver procurement performance metrics.

Qualifications

Education

• BSc in Operations/Supply Chain Management, Engineering or related field, MSc preferred.

Experience and Skills

Required

• A minimum of 5-8 years of strong procurement experience.
• Good level of understanding of the Direct Precision Materials and industry landscape: Metals, ceramics, precision plastics, packaging materials and chemicals.
• Broad-based understanding of business operations and practices and core procurement areas of focus (e.g., Spend Management, Category Management, Sourcing & Supplier Management).
• Strong leadership, communication (verbal and written), influencing, collaboration skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with ability to confidently present complex information.
• Fluent English and very good level of German language required.
• Experience to work across regions and markets.
• Strong business sense.

Preferred

• Experience in other related fields of Supply Chain, including External Operations, Manufacturing, Procurement, Distribution and / or related field is advantageous.
• Medical Devices (specifically Abiomed relevant industry) experience preferred.Multi-country and multi-sector experience preferred.
• Continuous improvement/lean/six sigma experience, black belt preferred.
• Experience with SAP preferred, or another ERP, device management and procurement systems.

Other

• Willingness to travel, particularly to visit suppliers. This position may require up to 30% International travel based on business needs.

Required Skills

Direct Procurement, Sourcing Strategies, Supplier Management

Preferred Skills

Analytical Reasoning, Business Data Analysis, Business Savvy, Category Management Strategy, Collaborating, Communication, Compliance Management, Customer Alignment, Due Diligence, Market Savvy, Negotiation, Problem Solving, Process Improvements, RFx Management, Risk Management, Spend Analysis, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Collaboration, Vendor Management, Vendor Selection

Base Pay Range

€75,000.00 - €118,450.00

Benefits

In addition to base pay, we offer an annual bonus with set target (% of pay) depending on pay grade / location, where the actual amount is based on the employee’s and company’s performance of the previous calendar year, or sales commissions. We also offer vacation days, parental leave for a minimum of 12 weeks, bereavement leave, caregiver leave, volunteer leave, well‑being reimbursement, programs for financial, physical and mental health. We also offer service anniversary and recognition awards, and subject to the terms of their respective plans, employees - and in some location’s eligible dependents - can participate in several insurance plans.

EEO Statement

Johnson & Johnson is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.