Global Logistics Category Manager

Global Logistics Category Manager - Europe

Your main responsibilities

This is an exciting opportunity to play a strategic, high-impact role in a multinational industrial company undergoing significant growth and transformation. As Global Logistics Category Manager, you will directly shape our global logistics-sourcing strategy, build long-term competitive advantage, and influence key decisions across regions and business units. You will join a collaborative, international, and people-focused organisations where your ideas truly matter and where you can make a visible difference from day one.

Role Purpose

Develop and implement global category strategies for Logistics that enhance the end-to-end value chain, reduce risk, unlock competitive advantage, and deliver sustainable cost savings. You will ensure full alignment with the Group Strategy, European subsidiaries, and regional Supply Chain teams while fostering strong internal partnerships and cross-functional collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Category Leadership

• Define, develop, and regularly review subcategory and sourcing strategies in alignment with business needs, the Global Category Manager, and regional procurement leaders.
• Oversee market analysis for the logistics subcategory, including market observations, price trends, and emerging risk factors.
• Translate strategy into concrete actions, ensuring operational implementation that respects local specificities and business realities.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Leadership

• Build strong strategic alignment with European subsidiaries, Supply Chain zones, and key business partners.
• Coordinate cross-functional and local supply requirements in close collaboration with regional procurement heads.
• Proactively engage internal stakeholders to ensure transparency, alignment, and adoption of global category initiatives.

Supplier & Contract Management

• Lead global negotiations for logistics subcategories (Ocean Freight, Road Freight, Air/Rail Freight, Warehousing, Customs, etc.).
• Develop and maintain a high-performing, reliable global supplier base, including evaluation, qualification, audits, performance management, and supplier development.
• Ensure sound, compliant, and value-driven purchasing contracts that minimise company risk while maximise flexibility and performance.

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Identify, implement, and track cost-saving and optimisation opportunities.
• Consolidate and leverage demand-planning inputs for strategic development of the logistics subcategory.
• Define subcategory KPIs, monitor performance, and report progress to the Global Category Manager.

What you bring

Experience & Technical Skills

• +8 years of experience in strategic sourcing and category management within a multinational industrial environment.
• Strong knowledge of Logistics procurement (Ocean, Road, Air/Rail Freight, Warehousing, Customs, etc.) in an international setting.
• Proven experience in international project management and/or change management.
• Experience working within a complex matrix organisation.
• Ability to build strong relationships and manage expectations with diverse internal and external stakeholders.

Competencies & Personal Attributes

• Strong presence, confidence, and ability to assert recommendations in a multicultural environment.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical mindset with a proactive, data-driven approach.
• Ability to develop business cases, conduct pricing analysis, and manage suppliers at all organisational levels.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead, engage, and inspire teams to high performance.
• Established credibility in managing strategic logistics suppliers.

Education & Languages

• University degree required.
• Fluent/Bilingual English (additional European languages are a plus).

Benefits:

• Excellent development opportunities: We are committed to people development. We offer our employees a range of national and international talent programmes and provide time and financial support for training and development.
• Work-life balance: 40-hour week, 25-30 days holiday, flexible working hours, part-time and unpaid leave.
• Healthy working environment: High health and safety standards and internal health management, including social counselling and health promotion

• Employee benefits: Participation in public transport season tickets, fleet discounts and reduced insurance premiums, as well as company benefits.

• A global role with real influence and strategic visibility.

• An international, collaborative, and supportive working environment.
• Opportunities for professional growth, innovation, and cross-regional impact.
• The chance to contribute directly to our transformation journey and to shape the future of our global logistics network.

Please get in contact to learn more

Edward Watkins - Principal Consulant at DSJ Global