Procurement Category Lead - Supplier, Agency Performance & Innovation

Make your mark for patients

We are looking for a Procurement Category Lead - Supplier, Agency Performance & Innovation who is strategic, data‑driven, and relationship‑focused to join our Global Procurement department based in Brussels, Belgium.

About the Role

You will drive supplier performance, innovation, and continuous improvement across UCB’s marketing and indirect procurement ecosystem and be responsible for establishing and leading supplier and agency performance management practices across a diverse portfolio of strategic suppliers and partners. You will transform supplier performance insights into measurable business improvements, innovation opportunities, and long‑term value creation.

In this global role, you will drive best practices across procurement, establish robust governance frameworks, and build strong partnerships that unlock innovation, efficiency, and sustainable growth. Working across regions and functions, you will help shape how UCB collaborates with agencies and suppliers to deliver greater impact for the business and ultimately for patients.

Who You’ll Work With

You will collaborate closely with Procurement Category Leads, Marketing, Finance, Patient Insights, Patient Services, and other key business stakeholders. You will also work directly with strategic suppliers, agencies, and external partners to strengthen performance, foster innovation, and drive continuous improvement across the supplier ecosystem.

What You’ll Do

Develop and implement supplier and agency performance management frameworks, including KPIs, SLAs, and scorecards aligned to business objectives.

Lead continuous improvement initiatives across the supplier ecosystem, identifying opportunities to improve quality, efficiency, innovation, and value delivery.

Build and manage supplier‑enabled innovation programs that leverage new capabilities, technologies, and ways of working.

Establish strategic supplier relationship management approaches, including governance structures, segmentation models, and engagement strategies.

Drive innovation initiatives involving emerging technologies, including AI‑enabled solutions, while supporting responsible and compliant implementation.

Develop procurement best practices, standards, and playbooks that strengthen operational excellence across the function.

Lead Quarterly and Annual Business Reviews with key suppliers and agencies, ensuring clear performance evaluation and action planning.

Identify supplier performance issues and drive structured corrective action plans to resolution.

Lead cross‑functional value creation projects focused on supplier innovation, new operating models, and process improvement.

Support sustainability, supplier diversity, and ESG objectives through strategic supplier engagement and collaboration.

Interested? For this role we’re looking for:

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred in business, procurement, supply chain, or a related field.

Significant experience in procurement, supplier management, vendor performance, or contract management within a complex global organization.

Proven experience developing supplier performance frameworks, scorecards, governance models, and continuous improvement programs.

Strong analytical capabilities with experience using performance metrics, reporting tools, and data‑driven decision making.

Experience leading cross‑functional initiatives and influencing senior stakeholders in a matrix environment.

Strong communication, relationship‑building, and change management skills with a passion for innovation and operational excellence.

Are you ready to ‘go beyond’ to create value and make your mark for patients? If this sounds like you, then we would love to hear from you!

About us 

UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company, focusing on neurology and immunology. We are over 9.000 people in all four corners of the globe, inspired by patients and driven by science.

Why work with us? 

At UCB, we don’t just complete tasks, we create value. We aren’t afraid to push forward, collaborate, and innovate to make our mark for patients. We have a caring, supportive culture where everyone feels included, respected, and has equal opportunities to do their best work. We ‘go beyond’ to create value for our patients, and always with a human focus, whether that’s on our patients, our employees, or our planet. Working for us, you will discover a place where you can grow, and have the freedom to carve your own career path to achieve your full potential.

At UCB, we’ve embraced a hybrid-first approach to work, bringing teams together in local hubs to foster collaborative curiosity. Unless expressly stated in the description or precluded by the nature of the position, roles are hybrid with 40% of your time spent in the office.

UCB is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions will be made without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable laws.

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on EMEA-Reasonable_Accommodation@ucb.com. Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments; we will not be able to support you through this channel.