Lindström: Global Category Manager

Are you looking for the next steps to shine professionally in a multicultural environment with circular economy present in your everyday work? Get ready to work in an innovative textile service business named as one of the most interesting companies in the circular economy, with a turnover of 495 million. With a 175-year-long history (not retiring anytime soon!) of caring for our people and customers, we are ready to expand our Lindström family. Currently we, a Finnish family-owned company awarded with the Family Business of the year 2021 in Finland, have over 5,000 inspiring people in 23 countries around Europe and Asia. Now is your chance to become part of the journey of helping our customers to grow more in a sustainable way. Take a leap with us as our new:

GLOBAL CATEGORY MANAGER

As Lindström’s new Global Category Manager, you will be responsible for global laundry production technology, detergents, and indirect category purchases. You will be in a key role to gather global information about category specific supplier networks, key cost elements and their development, price competitiveness, as well as services and raw materials. You will also take charge of supplier and contract management, spend analyses, and cost-saving activities as the need arises. Your location will be at our Head Office in Kalasatama, Helsinki, where we are working in a hybrid model. 

In this role, your key tasks will include: 

• Responsibility for and execution of the procurement category strategy
• Spend analysis, supplier sourcing and management, and supplier approval
• Leading contract negotiations in cooperation with internal stakeholders
• Category benchmarking by e.g. following technological developments and innovations 
• Analyzing relevant data and reports on e.g. key raw materials 
• Managing supplier evaluations and audits as well as the proliferation of category targets into supplier targets
• Contributing to global sourcing projects within the specified category as the representative of Lindström’s Procurement & Supply Chain team
• Organizing and leading category team meetings, and defining required competencies and trainings for employees within the category
• Supplier risk management in cooperation with internal stakeholders
• Responsibility for updating supplier data

We are looking for an experienced expert in the field of sourcing and procurement who has both technical and business knowledge of the laundry production technology/machinery, detergents and indirect purchases. A proactive and result-oriented approach is key in this role, as well as the ability to identify relevant resources. Strong analytical skills and commercial understanding will help you along the way, as will of course a readiness to take on new challenges! If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, you might be the one we are looking for!

Our ideal candidate has: 

• University degree in technical and/or commercial field, or equivalent qualification
• At least five years of experience in procurement related business sphere
• Detailed technical and business knowledge of the production technology/machinery, detergents, and indirect purchases
• Deep understanding of supplier markets and specified category items and products and related services
• Advanced negotiation skills and a deep knowledge of negotiation strategy
• Ability to manage projects in a matrix organization with multiple stakeholders
• Strong networking skills and existing network of relevant contacts
• Strong project and time management skills as well as a delivery-oriented approach to work
• Excellent written and spoken English language skills, with strong Finnish language skills seen as a benefit

We offer you a challenging position where you will get to bring forward your expertise and be a part of a unique business environment. At Lindström you will get to innovate and work at the heart of circular economy in a truly international setting alongside experienced experts. We will support you by encouraging you to grow and develop professionally. To further help you on your Lindström journey, we offer you several benefits such as comprehensive health care services and sports, culture, and well-being benefits via Epassi. In everything we do, we want to live our purpose: we care for people and our planet by inspiring people to shine and businesses to grow in a sustainable way.

Interested? For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact Kalle Hietaranta (Director, Category Management). You can reach Kalle by phone at +358 50 487 1366 on Monday, May 13 between 13:00 – 14:00 EEST or on Thursday, May 16 between 12:00 – 13:00 EEST. 

To apply, please fill in our online application form no later than Sunday, May 19, 2024. The starting date for this position is negotiable, but we wish to have a new team member as soon as possible. The position is permanent. We look forward to hearing from you!