Category Manager, Europe (Maintenance, Repair and Operations)

Job description

This is where your work makes a difference. At Baxter, we believe every person—regardless of who they are or where they are from—deserves a chance to live a healthy life. It was our founding belief in 1931 and continues to be our guiding principle. We are redefining healthcare delivery to make a greater impact today, tomorrow, and beyond. Our Baxter colleagues are united by our Mission to Save and Sustain Lives. Together, our community is driven by a culture of courage, trust, and collaboration. Every individual is empowered to take ownership and make a meaningful impact. We strive for efficient and effective operations, and we hold each other accountable for delivering exceptional results. Here, you will find more than just a job—you will find purpose and pride. Are you looking to take part in a Procurement transformation at one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of healthcare products? We are looking for a results-driven Category Manager (MRO) Europe with a passion for driving value, supplier performance, and operational excellence, who wants to join our mission to save and sustain lives. The team member in this role will be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies for Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) categories across Baxter manufacturing plants within the EMEA region. Key areas of responsibility include spare parts, laboratory supplies, production supplies, industrial gases, filters, PPE, calibration services, and maintenance & repair services. This position will be responsible for driving procurement excellence and delivering best value across the MRO portfolio, with a strong focus on cost, quality, service, supply continuity, risk mitigation, and supplier innovation. This role involves leading regional sourcing initiatives, collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders, and supporting manufacturing operations across multiple countries and sites. What you'll be doing: Collaborating with manufacturing sites, engineering, maintenance, quality, operations, finance, and other stakeholders to develop and implement MRO category strategies. Developing and executing regional sourcing strategies aligned with business goals, operational priorities, and procurement objectives. Performing in-depth spend analysis, supplier analysis, and market intelligence activities to identify savings opportunities and process improvements. Leading supplier consolidation initiatives to reduce supplier fragmentation and maximize purchasing leverage across EMEA manufacturing sites. Driving strategic sourcing events, including RFI, RFQ, and RFP processes, and leading commercial negotiations to deliver annual savings targets. Managing supplier relationships and performance through regular business reviews, scorecards, and continuous improvement initiatives. Supporting manufacturing sites in supplier selection, contract negotiations, supplier transitions, and risk mitigation activities. Developing and maintaining category roadmaps, project pipelines, and savings plans to support annual procurement objectives. Monitoring supply market trends, technical developments, and innovations to identify opportunities that improve operational performance and reduce cost. Driving contract management activities and ensuring compliance with procurement policies, preferred supplier strategies, and negotiated agreements. Partnering with global procurement teams and other regional category managers to leverage best practices and sourcing synergies. Providing regular reporting and category updates to senior management and key stakeholders regarding savings delivery, project progress, risks, and opportunities. Supporting business continuity planning and supplier risk management activities for critical MRO suppliers. Driving continuous improvement initiatives across sourcing, supplier management, and procurement processes. What you'll bring: University degree or equivalent experience in Supply Chain, Procurement, Engineering, Finance, Operations, or Business. Minimum 5 years of procurement, category management, supply chain, engineering, maintenance, or related business experience. Experience within manufacturing environments is strongly preferred. Experience managing MRO categories including spare parts, technical services, maintenance providers, laboratory supplies, consumables, and related manufacturing support categories. Strong supplier negotiation and contract management skills. Demonstrated ability to lead regional or multi-site sourcing initiatives and deliver measurable savings. Strong analytical capabilities with experience conducting spend analysis and supplier performance analysis. Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills. Ability to work effectively in a multicultural, matrix organization. Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize competing business demands. Strong commercial acumen and problem-solving skills. Experience working with procurement and ERP systems such as Coupa, SAP, JDE, Maximo, or similar platforms. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and procurement analytics tools. Fluent English required. Additional European languages are considered an asset. Good understanding of procurement best practices, supplier markets, strategic sourcing methodologies, and supplier relationship management. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment while balancing strategic and operational priorities. Success Measures: Annual savings delivered against target. Supplier consolidation and rationalization achievements. Contract coverage and compliance improvement. Supplier performance improvements. Reduction of tail spend and supplier fragmentation. Supply continuity and risk mitigation effectiveness. Stakeholder satisfaction. Successful execution of regional MRO sourcing projects. Contribution to procurement transformation and operational excellence initiatives. What we offer Permanent contract after 3-months' Competitive salary Annual bonus Medical Care Life Insurance Christmas bonus Co-financing for corrective glasses and lenses Newborn baby bonus ( one-off benefit ) Employee Stock Purchase Program ESP PPE program with very attractive conditions available for each employee after 3 months. Holiday allowance Theater tickets at a reduced price Educational support: fully covered language courses (English or other languages according to business needs), financial certifications (ACCA, CIMA). 2 additional days off (conditional) Employee referral program Multisport card Cafeteria-style plan ( 300 PLN net monthly) Employee referral program Annual Award related to Baxter’s Global Cultural Values Lifelong learning opportunity: Possibilities for development on a personal and professional level Friendly atmosphere. Hybrid working model ( 3 days on Site) Attractive office location, next to the PKP Powiśle station. PPE program with very attractive conditions available for each employee after 3 months. Working for a global pharma/med tech leader. We understand compensation is an important factor as you consider the next step in your career. At Baxter, we are committed to equitable pay for all employees, and we strive to be more transparent with our pay practices. The minimum salary for this position is 232 000,00 PLN annually. Your initial pay could be at the minimum or higher based on skills and expertise, experience, and other relevant factors, all of which are subject to change. This position may also be eligible for competitive benefits, discretionary bonuses, and/or long-term incentive. For questions about this, our pay philosophy, and available benefits, please speak to the recruiter if you decide to apply and are selected for an interview Equal Employment Opportunity Baxter is an equal opportunity employer. Baxter evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic. Reasonable Accommodations Baxter is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities globally. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please click on the link here and let us know the nature of your request along with your contact information. Recruitment Fraud Notice Baxter has discovered incidents of employment scams, where fraudulent parties pose as Baxter employees, recruiters, or other agents, and engage with online job seekers in an attempt to steal personal and/or financial information. To learn how you can protect yourself, review our Recruitment Fraud Notice .