Xylem

Global Category Manager – Cables

Xylem

full-time

Posted on:

Location Type: Hybrid

Location: Schaffhausen • Switzerland

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About the role

  • Lead the global category portfolio of cables, developing and executing strategic sourcing strategies to deliver cost savings, risk mitigation, and long-term value across Europe.
  • Manage end-to-end procurement activities, including KPI definition, supplier performance management, contract negotiations, and compliance tracking.
  • Drive make-or-buy decisions, continuous improvement programs, and supplier development initiatives to enhance efficiency and competitiveness.
  • Integrate sustainability, ESG, and supplier diversity goals into procurement strategy to align with corporate objectives.
  • Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships (SRM) to ensure resilience, quality, and innovation across European operations.
  • Partner with cross-functional stakeholders and provide guidance to local strategic buyers, ensuring alignment with global procurement goals.
  • Predict future global trends and disruptions within the industry and de-risking methodologies, working horizontally to stay abreast with changing technology and demand and have clear understanding of product taxonomy to a sub-tier level.
  • Run regular category project calls with cross functional teams, closely monitoring progress to committed timeline.
  • Establish and maintain a Corporate Category Council.
  • Support a continuous improvement environment with a track record of achieving significant productivity improvement (Quality, Service Levels, Delivery and Cost) year on year.
  • Analyze spend data and present insights based on the needs of the audience.
  • Ensure that all applicable suppliers have fully executed Corporate Supply Agreements (CSA) and that such CSA are up-to-date and fully administered to. The CSA will be owned by the incumbent.

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience (preferably Business, Supply Chain or Engineering)
  • Material control systems and processes background
  • Managing Cable categories strongly preferred and understanding of their manufacturing process.
  • Sourcing & negotiating with suppliers/service providers and delivering annual cost reductions.
  • Experience working with Global Business partners in global regions (Americas, EMEA, APAC)
  • Ability to quickly establish credibility across the organization and to engage and influence others to ensure the most effective and efficient solutions are implemented.
  • Strong influence, communication and change management skills, especially in a matrix environment with cross-functional stakeholders.
  • This role requires travel internationally up to 35% of your time.
Benefits
  • Professional Development – To advance the capabilities of our people, we offer a wide variety of experiences to support our employees’ professional growth and continuous learning.
  • Total Rewards – We offer comprehensive programs for compensation, benefits, recognition, learning and development, work-life integration and corporate citizenship.
  • Watermark – Watermark is our corporate social responsibility program working to provide education and access to safe water to ensure healthy lives, gender equality, and resilient communities. Employees have the opportunity to learn and volunteer on various water-related projects.
  • Employee Networks – Our Employee Networks provide a professional, supportive network for employees from diverse backgrounds, including Women’s, LGBT+ and Allies, Veteran’s, People of Color and Allies, Emerging Leaders, and Working Parents Networks.
Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools
strategic sourcingprocurement activitiesKPI definitionsupplier performance managementcontract negotiationsdata analysiscost reductionmaterial control systemssourcingnegotiating
Soft Skills
influencecommunicationchange managementcredibility establishmentstakeholder engagementcross-functional collaborationstrategic relationship managementcontinuous improvementproblem-solvingleadership
Certifications
Bachelor’s DegreeSupply Chain certificationProcurement certificationBusiness degreeEngineering degree