As a Category Manager, you will play a pivotal role in driving the strategic procurement of IT infrastructure. You will act as a trusted, knowledgeable, and solution-oriented business partner, working closely with international teams and external partners to deliver sustainable, cost-efficient, and innovative technology solutions. Your goal is to execute our strategic procurement practices while ensuring all processes are robust and transparent.
Strategy & Sourcing Excellence
- Design and implement global procurement strategies for IT infrastructure, including hardware, software, cybersecurity, and cloud services.
- Lead the end-to-end RFI/RFP lifecycle and negotiate complex contracts with global IT market leaders to drive margin improvements.
- Optimize the software landscape and IT delivery models in alignment with the company’s future strategic direction.
- Conduct comprehensive market and spend analyses to maintain a deep understanding of technology supply markets and commercial models.
- Utilize advanced analytical tools for competitive benchmarking and data-driven decision-making.
Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
- Partner with IT, Finance, Legal and other global functions to understand business requirements and influence demand.
- Build trusted, collaborative relationships across the organization to ensure procurement activities meet core business needs.
- Collaborate and exchange expertise with international strategic buyers to implement sourcing best practices.
Operational & Process Excellence
- Contribute to the Procurement Transformation through the adoption of new processes, analytics, and innovative ways of working.
- Cultivate and evolve strategic supplier relationships, implementing targeted improvement measures based on performance evaluations.
- Implement and track KPIs, performance dashboards, and reporting mechanisms to manage category performance effectively.
- Support the development of procurement documentation, playbooks, and standardized best practices.
- Promote ethical business practices and ensure the highest Environmental, Sustainability, and Governance (ESG) standards.
Your Profile
- Education & Experience: A degree in Engineering, IT, or Business, with 5+ years of experience in procurement roles - ideally within IT infrastructure or professional services.
- Technical Expertise: Knowledge of IT categories (Cloud, Software, Hardware) and a strong understanding of current market structures. While technical knowledge is valuable, we place a high premium on the right attitude and a demonstrated ability to showcase delivery excellence.
- Methodological Strength: Solid understanding of Category Management and strategic sourcing methodologies, with the ability to apply them in a fit-for-purpose manner.
- Negotiation & Commercial Skills: Strong analytical and negotiation capabilities, basic knowledge and experience in legal and procurement contract structure.
- Strategic & Hands-on Balance: Ability to structure complex strategic topics while maintaining a focus on hands-on operational delivery.
- Stakeholder Management: Confidence working with senior stakeholders and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.
- Mindset: A high level of initiative and assertiveness, combined with a collaborative “win-together” mindset.
- Communication: Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with professional proficiency in English.
Top Skills
What We Do
At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a trusted partner for critical networks, we are committed to innovation and technology leadership across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. We create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs. Adhering to the highest standards of integrity and security, we help build the capabilities needed for a more productive, sustainable and inclusive world.
