Global Category Manager Indirect Procurement

About John Cockerill

Are you ready to shape and implement global category strategies, oversee supplier panels, and optimize performance across Quality, Cost, and Delivery? Join John Cockerill as Global Category Manager Indirect Procurement.

Founded in 1817, John Cockerill supports sustainable innovation to address the major challenges of our time. The Group develops and integrates technological solutions for energy, defense, industry, environment, transport and infrastructure.

With more than 8,000 employees, the Group achieved €1.417 billion revenue in 2024 and operates across 28 countries on 5 continents.

Now you know what we do, why should you join us?

• Impactful work: contribute to innovative projects focused on sustainable technology.
• Global reach: collaborate with diverse teams worldwide and enjoy international project exposure (discover our international talent).
• Supportive environment: benefit from a culture of flexibility, work-life balance, and autonomy.
• Expertise and decision-center on the same site: enjoy an agile and innovative environment, allowing for faster decisions.

Your role

As a Global Category Manager Indirect Procurement, you take the lead on one or several Indirect Procurement categories and ensure strategic alignment with corporate objectives while building strong supplier partnerships and delivering long-term, sustainable value.

This is a dynamic role involving both strategic reflection on your categories, operational implementation and suppliers interactions, with a Belgium-France scope.

Your key responsibilities:

• Strategy Development and Action Planning: you define and implement global and regional category strategies, ensuring compliance with group and local requirements. You build and present short-, medium-, and long-term action plans aligned with objectives.
• Market Intelligence & Global Reference: you provide comprehensive market insights and trends for assigned categories to support strategic decisions. You act as the global reference expert for your assigned categories within the organization.
• Contract Monitoring, Supplier Management and Cost optimization: you monitor supplier performance, ensure timely alignment of category initiatives to prevent unexpected contract expirations, and drive globalization and harmonization where appropriate. You lead cost-reduction initiatives through process improvements, demand management, supplier consolidation, and competitive sourcing, and manage associated negotiations
• Negotiations: you lead annual and global negotiations; support project-level negotiations when required
• Global Spend Monitoring & Management: you track, analyze, and report global spend for your categories, ensuring visibility, compliance, and alignment with strategic objectives.
• Crisis Management: you assist in resolving supply chain disruptions, quality issues, and other critical challenges
• Data Integrity: you ensure accuracy and compliance of purchasing data in ERP systems and procurement platforms (e.g., SAP, iValua)

Your team

You'll be joining a growing team of procurement professionals.

The work culture is supportive, with a strong emphasis on knowledge sharing and teamwork. Regular informal gatherings like after-work events, team-building activities, and company dinners create a friendly and engaging environment.

Michael is an international leader with significant experience working abroad, including expatriate roles in China and India. Direct and results-driven, he is currently leading the transformation of the procurement function with a global, proactive and business-oriented approach.

Your profile

Your experience, knowledge and hard skills:  

• Master's degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field with a focus on Procurement, or equivalent experience
• Ideally, at least 8-10 years of procurement experience, preferably in indirect categories
• Proficiency in English and good knowledge of French, with excellent communication skills.

Your personality and behavioral skills: 

• Proven negotiation skills and ability to perform under pressure
• Affinity with an international environment and openness for occasional travel in Belgium-France.
• Comfortable working in a complex matrix organization and dynamic environment
• Strong analytical and organizational skills with attention to detail
• High integrity, reliability, and discretion.

What we offer

At John Cockerill, we deeply value your contribution:

• Attractive salary package with many extra-legal benefits: company car, meal vouchers, flat-rate expenses, hospitalization/life/death/guaranteed income insurance, variable remuneration ranging from 0-25% of your gross annual salary, profit-sharing scheme based on progress and results
• Flexible work arrangements, with 1-2 days of remote work per week after training.
• Comprehensive onboarding: a 6-month training with plenty of learning opportunities.
• Career development: regular reviews, large catalogue of training, and career progression.
• International opportunities: potential to evolve within your sector, across different sectors or businesses, and across different regions.
• 31 days off

The recruitment process

Ready to take on this exciting challenge? Apply now and be part of a team driving the future of sustainable industry.

What are the next steps?

• You have a first interview with Stephanie ), our recruiter, via Teams or on-site, to learn more about your expectations and the role at-hand.
• You meet Michael, your manager, global Global Indirect Procurement Leader
• You meet Marie, our HR Businss Partner

Is it a match between you and John Cockerill? May this collaboration begin

Want to find out more about John Cockerill exciting projects? Check this out 

This is not the opportunity you're looking for? You can also join our talent pool and be contacted for other positions in the future