Category Specialist C&S

Join Us At Vodafone, we’re not just shaping the future of connectivity for our customers – we’re shaping the future for everyone who joins our team. When you work with us, you’re part of a global mission to connect people, solve complex challenges, and create a sustainable and more inclusive world. If you want to grow your career whilst finding the perfect balance between work and life, Vodafone offers the opportunities to help you belong and make a real impact. What you’ll do The successful candidate will be working as part of an established central procurement team reporting to a Category Manager in Commercial & Services division. They will be part of the Marketing, Media and Customer Operations team (COPS) and will be collaborating very closely with a wider agile project team. The role might involve regular interactions with stakeholders in local markets, while working in very close collaboration with our Group Brand team and our local Brand, local Customer Operations and SCM teams, as part of a large cross-functional virtual team. The successful candidate will support complex contracts and complex commercial models and will be world-class at project management. Our ideal candidate will have a proven track record of successfully delivering and managing tasks in complex global categories. Sourcing • Support the Category Manager(s) in deploying and executing of existing global sourcing strategies and the category plans to deliver the category-agreed target outcomes. • Contribute to the development of global sourcing strategies and support Category Manager(s) for the Categories RFP. • Contribute to the ongoing commercial management of the existing contracts including monitoring of obligations, rights, critical dates, service credits, escalations, commercial disputes, regular business reviews, etc. Stakeholder Management, Supplier Management, Industry Knowhow • Maintain and contribute the highly collaborative operating model with the Group and local Brand teams, local COPS teams and local SCM, with a focus on cross-functional teamwork. • Acquire the knowledge of industry trends, competitors, business opportunities, and threats. Identify and promote best practices for innovation, operational excellence, improved customer experience, and savings. Innovation • Contribute to the development and evolution of categories-specific contracting models and contract templates, while working in collaboration with Legal and Business teams. • Contribute to the continuous improvement and innovation of categories-specific commercial models, while working in close collaboration with Auditors and Business. • Start to develop know-how to technology, processes, and tools required for end-to-end category management. • Support end-to-end sourcing projects including complex contractual and pricing commercial and legal negotiations. Data Management • Contribute to the delivery of key category financial targets such as centralized spend %, savings, and working capital improvements. • Contribute to accurate spend, vendor, and contract data management. • Manage data repository and data cleaning activities. Who you are • Education: University degree, Master’s degree preferred, and a passion for data, analytics, business intelligence, and digital tools. • Reasoning Skills: Strong numerical and reasoning skills. • Project Management Skills: Solid project management skills, with the ability to manage and deliver multiple projects across various functions and geographies. • Communication Skills: Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills and the ability to engage with virtual teams. • Flexibility: Ability to work on heterogeneous projects in different teams within Commercial and Services Division. • Creativity: The ability to think ‘out of the box’ and bring continuous innovation to the area. • Language: Business-level proficiency in written and spoken English and German, other additional languages are an advantage. Not a perfect fit? Worried that you don’t meet all the desired criteria exactly? At Vodafone we are passionate about empowering people and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, whatever their personal or professional background. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align exactly with every part of the job description, we encourage you to still apply as you may be the right candidate for this role or another opportunity. What's in it for you We want you to feel happy and fulfilled at work, without compromising the other things in life that matter to you. Here are some of the ways we support this: Annual Discretionary Bonus • Rewarding your hard work and dedication Generous Annual Leave • 28 days of annual leave, with the option to buy an additional 5 days and the opportunity to carry over 5 days per year • 1 additional day (Family Day) for personal milestones or special occasions • 11 public holidays to enjoy time with family and friends • 5 charity days per year to give back to the community Flexible Work Arrangements • Flexible working schedule to help you balance your professional and personal life • 20 days to work from abroad, allowing you to combine work with travel and new experiences Comprehensive Health and Wellness • Lunch vouchers to support your midday meals • Access to private AXA health insurance and a robust pension scheme to secure your health and future Continuous Learning and Development • Access to Vodafone University and online training resources to help you grow your skills and advance your career Who we are We are a leading international Telco, serving millions of customers. At Vodafone, we believe that connectivity is a force for good. If we use it for the things that really matter, it can improve people's lives and the world around us. Through our technology we empower people, connecting everyone regardless of who they are or where they live and we protect the planet, whilst helping our customers do the same. Belonging at Vodafone isn't a concept; it's lived, breathed, and cultivated through everything we do. You'll be part of a global and diverse community, with many different minds, abilities, backgrounds and cultures. ;We're committed to increase diversity, ensure equal representation, and make Vodafone a place everyone feels safe, valued and included. If you require any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request as part of your recruitment journey, for example, extended time or breaks in between online assessments, please refer to for guidance. Together we can.