Category Manager – IT Procurement

Job Description Summary

Job Description Summary

Sandoz is going through an exciting and transformative period as a global leader and pioneering provider of sustainable Biosimilar and Generic medicines. By creating a new and ambitious path, it will provide a unique opportunity for us all, both professionally and personally. Join us, the future is ours to shape!

We are looking for a motivated Category Manager – IT Procurement to support the management of our global IT/Technology spend, contribute to category strategy execution and help drive savings, efficiency and compliance across the business. In this role, you will work closely with senior procurement colleagues and business stakeholders to secure quality IT solutions, support supplier management activities and ensure process excellence in a regulated pharma environment.

The Category Manager IT supports the strategic management of the IT/Technology category, executing procurement projects and initiatives that deliver high‑value solutions to the business. The role ensures effective delivery of external IT products and services, contributing to productivity improvements, cost savings and process optimization in collaboration with internal stakeholders.

Job Description

Major accountabilities: 

Support category strategic goals from overall Procurement strategy / Ecosystem management

·       Support execution of IT category strategies and operational roadmaps at global level.

·       Coordinate and manage procurement projects (scope, priorities, resources, budget) using appropriate tools and reporting; track project progress and escalate issues as needed.

·       Support value chain analysis and apply total cost of ownership principles to identify opportunities for optimization.

·       Contribute to financial discussions and budgeting processes, support deal structuring and contract negotiations under guidance.

·       Support compliance and risk management across the procurement process (budget, PO, contracts, invoices, buying channels); monitor compliance metrics and flag issues; contribute to risk identification and mitigation activities.

·       Extract, cleanse and consolidate spend and market data to generate insights for category analysis and decision‑making. Maintain and update procurement applications and content for the category.

·       Support implementation of Procurement tools and processes. Conduct data analysis and reporting for spend demand and supply markets to support category management activities.

Demand management

·       Work with stakeholders to understand business requirements and align them with category strategies.

·       Support identification of cost‑effective solutions to meet business objectives.

Sourcing and supplier relationship management

·       Execute tactical and operational sourcing activities; support the Source‑to‑Contract process including RFx preparation, supplier evaluation and contract setup.

·       Participate in negotiations for standard and moderately complex requirements; apply negotiation techniques to achieve favorable outcomes.

·       Support supplier onboarding, performance monitoring and relationship management activities.

Manage relationships with stakeholders

·       Build effective working relationships with business stakeholders; respond to inquiries and provide procurement guidance.

·       Support specification reviews and identify opportunities for standardization and optimization.

·       Communicate clearly with stakeholders and suppliers to ensure alignment and timely delivery.

Impact on the organization (where appropriate):

10–40 million USD globally/regionally in spend/financial impact. Support for management of external IT services. Contribution to right‑sized spending and savings generation.

Minimum Requirement:

Approx. 8–10 years of relevant business experience, preferably within the pharmaceutical or healthcare industry. At least 5 years in Procurement or related areas, with exposure to category management, sourcing or supplier management, ideally with some focus on IT or technology categories. Solid project coordination skills and ability to work in cross‑functional teams in a global environment. Good knowledge of Ariba suite or similar products is highly desirable.

Why Sandoz?

Generic and Biosimilar medicines are the backbone of the global medicines industry. Sandoz, a leader in this sector, touched the lives of almost 500 million patients last year and while we are proud of this achievement, we have an ambition to do more!

With investments in new development capabilities, state-of-the-art production sites, new acquisitions, and partnerships, we have the opportunity to shape the future of Sandoz and help more patients gain access to low-cost, high-quality medicines, sustainably.

Our momentum and entrepreneurial spirit is powered by an open, collaborative culture driven by our talented and ambitious colleagues, who, in return for applying their skills experience an agile and collegiate environment with impactful, flexible-hybrid careers, where diversity is welcomed and where personal growth is encouraged!

The future is ours to shape!

Skills Desired

Internal And External Customer Needs Analysis & Satisfaction Studies, Negotiating, Root Cause Analysis And Problem-Solving, Vendor Management