Category Manager, Indirect Procurement (m/f/d)

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Position Title:                Category Manager, Indirect Procurement

Location:                         Aachen, Germany

Flex work environment (typically 3 days per week onsite)

Abiomed, part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech, is a leading provider of medical devices that provide circulatory and respiratory support, with a mission of recovering hearts & saving lives. Abiomed's "Patients First!" culture drives our skilled workforce and strong relationships with clinicians. Our innovative product portfolio and robust pipeline provide us the incredible opportunity to bring lifesaving technology to more patients around the world than ever before. Founded in 1981, Abiomed has a proven track record for growth, integrity, and innovation.

I Am Abiomed | I Am Heart Recovery | Patients First!

Job Responsibilities:

Abiomed is present in most markets of the world, representing more than $2 billion of revenue with projected strong growth and premier market positions. The spend in support of this business resides in multiple categories and sums up to $600 million per year. With highly innovative heart saving products, Abiomed is one of the highest growing businesses of Johnson & Johnson.

The Category Manager, Indirect Procurement (EMEA), will be responsible for optimizing spend performance and managing supplier relationships across defined indirect categories within the EMEA region. Operating within a highly regulated medical device environment, this role will lead and/or support the development of sourcing strategies and supplier management plans under the guidance of the Director, Indirect Procurement. The Category Manager will be accountable for delivering against key targets in cost optimization, supplier quality, service levels, risk mitigation, and compliance. This role requires deep engagement with internal stakeholders—such as R&D, professional services, sales and marketing, operations, facilities, and IT, and robust collaboration with external partners to ensure procurement strategies align with Abiomed’s innovation and compliance objectives.

This is a newly created role, and the scope of responsibilities and commodities managed may evolve as the position develops. The tasks and accountabilities outlined in this description are therefore not exhaustive and may be adapted in line with business needs.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities:

Sourcing 

• Lead or support sourcing initiatives to drive cost savings, value creation, and supplier performance in indirect categories both domestic and international.
• Manage RFx processes and supplier negotiations for medium to high complexity sourcing projects.
• Proactively engage business partners to understand their requirements and incorporate them into sub-category strategies.
• Monitor supply market trends and competitor activity to deliver proactive and innovative sourcing strategies.
• Support new product development and business initiatives through effective sourcing of indirect services.

Supplier Management 

• Develop and manage supplier partnerships to ensure performance delivery, risk mitigation, and supplier-enabled innovation.
• Conduct regular business reviews with suppliers to evaluate performance and identify continuous improvement opportunities.
• Cultivate strategic relationships with internal stakeholders and supplier leadership to optimize and diversify the supply base.
• Ensure supplier compliance with applicable regional regulatory, quality, and corporate standards.

Category Strategy Development 

• Develop and support category sourcing strategies for assigned indirect portfolios by assessing business needs, conducting market intelligence, and evaluating suppliers to inform sourcing decisions.
• Leverage knowledge of the EMEA indirect supplier landscape to drive competitive sourcing strategies.
• Build and maintain a robust supply network by identifying and developing suppliers through deep market analysis and industry expertise.

Contracting 

• Systematically and efficiently manage contract creation, approval, administration, and compliance to maximize financial and operational performance while minimizing risk.
• Ensure agreements meet business demands and align with the organization’s procurement and business strategies in cooperation with Legal.

Project Support & Cross-functional Collaboration

• Represent procurement in End-to-End Supply Chain initiatives including manufacturing network programs, capacity planning, digital tools adoption, and resiliency efforts.
• Lead or support projects within defined spend scope to achieve procurement KPIs.
• Support the development and advancement of the Procurement vision in collaboration with key stakeholders across the business.
• Escalate issues and risks that may impact the Global Procurement organization or Supply Chain operations.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Finance, Operations, or a related field; MBA or MS preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in indirect procurement or strategic sourcing in a healthcare setting, with a focus on categories such as R&D, professional services, sales and marketing, operations, facilities, and IT is preferred.
• Proven track record of developing and executing category strategies that deliver cost savings, mitigate risk, and improve supplier performance.
• Strong understanding of sourcing processes, contract lifecycle management, and supplier governance across diverse indirect spend areas.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to partner effectively with internal functions such as IT, Legal, HR, Finance, and Marketing.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills, with experience managing complex supplier relationships and high-value contracts.
• Proficiency with procurement systems (e.g., SAP, Coupa, Ariba) and comfort working with data in Excel; familiarity with analytics tools like Power BI or Tableau is a plus.
• Experience with eMarketplace (i.e., Ariba Network) and digital procurement platforms is desirable.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to align sourcing initiatives to broader organizational goals.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present to and influence senior leadership.
• Experience working in global or multi-country environments with an understanding of regional procurement dynamics.
• Continuous improvement mindset with experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or process optimization initiatives preferred.
• Knowledge of compliance, sustainability, and supplier diversity programs is an asset.
• Fluency in both English and German is preferred.
• Willingness to travel, particularly to visit suppliers. This position may require up to 30% travel based on business needs.

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