Within the Villeroy & Boch Group, the Category Manager Indirect Procurement – MRO & Plant CAPEX is a value-driven, change-oriented role responsible for challenging established procurement and maintenance practices and introducing new sourcing models, technical alternatives, and innovative commercial approaches across MRO and plant-related CAPEX. The role goes beyond traditional negotiations and leverages data, analytics, and systems to identify savings opportunities, improve transparency, and support fact-based decision-making across the Group’s manufacturing footprint.
Key Responsibilities
Innovation-Led Category Strategy
* Design and deploy forward-looking category strategies for MRO and plant CAPEX.
* Execute RFI, RFP, and RFQ processes and lead negotiations to completion.
* Reassess OEM vs. alternative sourcing models using TCO and lifecycle data.
* Reduce complexity in spare-parts portfolios through cross-site harmonization.
* Drive initiatives to lower inventory, emergency spend, and unplanned CAPEX.
Advanced Sourcing & Value Creation
* Lead innovative sourcing initiatives, including re-specification, bundling, and long-term agreements
* Build and maintain should-cost and clean-sheet models
* Translate technical and commercial changes into measurable savings (OPEX & CAPEX)
* Track, validate, and sustain savings through robust data management
Data, Systems & Insight (Excel & SAP)
* Use advanced Excel to analyze spend, build financial models, and simulate sourcing scenarios
* (e.g. pivot tables, advanced formulas, scenario modeling, dashboards)
* Extract, structure, and analyze data from SAP (MM, SRM/Coupa, or equivalent) to support category decisions
* Ensure data accuracy, transparency, and traceability for savings and compliance
* Support continuous improvement of reporting, catalogs, and master data
Plant-Level Engagement & Change Enablement
* Partner with Maintenance and Engineering teams to challenge “business as usual”
* Support plants with data-driven recommendations during critical situations
* Drive adoption of new sourcing models through facts, credibility, and pragmatism
Governance & Scalability
* Embed innovative category approaches into contracts, catalogs, and SAP workflows
* Ensure savings sustainability through compliance, KPIs, and reporting discipline
* Contribute to procurement digitalization and transformation initiatives
Profile & Capabilities
Experience
* Strong background in indirect procurement with deep exposure to MRO and plant CAPEX
* Proven ability to generate savings by changing sourcing logic and using data effectively
* Experience working in SAP-based procurement environments
Key Skills
* Minimum 3 years experience as Category Manager in a Multinational Company
* Strong negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to balance commercial rigor and operational needs
* Advanced Excel proficiency
* SAP proficiency– MM and procurement-related modules
* Strong analytical and financial modeling skills
* Ability to influence technical stakeholders using data and insight
* Structured, curious, and improvement-oriented mindset
* Fluent English (C1 level) required; proficiency in additional languages is considered a plus
Strategic Contribution & Mindset
* Challenge legacy specifications, OEM dependencies, and historical sourcing decisions
* Introduce innovative sourcing models and technically validated alternatives
* Identify structural savings through standardization, lifecycle optimization, and demand management
* Use data and analytics to expose inefficiencies and opportunities
* Bring external benchmarks and best practices into the organization
Additional info:
* Location: Milan, Via Borsi 9
* Travel Flexibility: around 15 to 20%
* Starting time: Q1 2026