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About the Role

As a Category Manager at HAVI/TMS, you will identify, develop, and manage key supply partners to meet client needs. You will lead strategic sourcing initiatives, manage supplier relationships, drive innovation, and ensure sustainability. This role requires a customer-first mindset, strong commercial acumen, and cross-functional collaboration skills in a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for Operating Supplies categories, including supplier selection, onboarding, allocation, and sourcing events.
• Manage relationships with key suppliers, implementing the supplier engagement framework and driving innovation through regular reviews.
• Serve as the Commercial Lead for the supply base, overseeing negotiations, contract finalization, and pricing strategies.
• Support local market projects and savings initiatives in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Act as the escalation point for supplier-related issues, including quality, capacity, pricing, and commercialization challenges.
• Lead promotional feasibility and capacity strategy development to support client goals.
• Support Stage Gate processes from concept through execution, ensuring supplier readiness and sourcing alignment.
• Review and ensure compliance with spend forecasts.
• Own the cost savings pipeline, identifying and delivering sourcing efficiencies across the EU region.
• Scout, develop, and validate new suppliers to strengthen the supply base.
• Lead quarterly pricing forecasts (QPF) and contribute to global cost circularity initiatives.
• Make strategic recommendations and decisions within the Source-to-Contract (S2C) framework.
• Maintain strategic oversight of assured supply (risk register) and serve as an escalation point for supply assurance, pricing, and quality issues.
• Develop and maintain contingency plans for assigned categories to ensure supply continuity and cost stability.
• Deliver Operating Supplies management playbooks and embed a quality-first mindset in sourcing activities.
• Partner with internal teams on spend forecasting, savings tracking, supplier financial health assessments, and compliance systems.
• Support regional supplier strategies aligned with EU-wide sourcing goals and sustainability initiatives.
• Foster strong relationships with client stakeholders, acting as a trusted advisor and escalation point for supplier-related issues.
• Understand and respond to regional trends (e.g., sustainability, regulatory compliance) and contribute to strategic programs like SRM.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in supply chain sourcing, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, or procurement, preferably within Operating Supplies, FMCG, or QSR sectors.
• Strong negotiation skills and commercial acumen.
• Commercial mindset and customer focus.
• Experience managing complex supplier networks across multiple markets.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Familiarity with risk management, Operating Supplies related sustainability trends, and compliance frameworks.
• Proficiency in data analysis and forecasting tools.
• Passion for customer service and a client-first mindset.
• Client facing experience in consultancy or other relevant environment.
• Ability to thrive in a matrixed, cross-functional environment.
• Ability to influence without authority.
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach to problem-solving.
• Fluent in English; additional European languages are a plus.

Skills

• Strategic Sourcing
• Supplier Management
• Negotiation
• Commercial Acumen
• Customer Focus
• Stakeholder Management
• Communication
• Risk Management
• Sustainability Trends
• Compliance Frameworks
• Data Analysis
• Forecasting
• Client Facing Experience
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Strategic Thinking
• Problem-Solving

Experience Level

• 5+ years of experience

About the Company

• tms unites technology, marketing, and sourcing to drive transformational change for the world’s leading brands.
• With 1,200+ employees across 26 countries, tms offers solutions from inspiration and innovation to category management and delivery.
• Operating as a creative agency, a strategic consultancy, a sourcing business, and a technology provider, tms engages with over 110 million customers daily for clients including McDonald’s, T-Mobile, O2, Starbucks, and adidas.
• tms is a place where you can achieve great things and be recognized as the best.
• At tms, we prepare, develop, train, and invest in our employees so they can take on future challenges.
• tms is a place where brilliant people are better together.

Equal Opportunity

• Authenticity and diversity are critical elements of our business.
• We foster a culture of inclusion and belonging and aspire to be ever-evolving.
• We create access and equity for all.