Global Category Manager - Direct Procurement

About the role

The Global Category Manager – Direct Procurement will lead a high‑value portfolio of direct material categories for Fisher & Paykel, shaping cost, resilience and competitiveness across a global supply base. Based in Auckland (or Dunedin), you will work closely with product development, manufacturing, quality, supply chain and finance teams worldwide.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and own 3–5 year category strategies grounded in market intelligence, total cost of ownership and product roadmap alignment.
• Lead complex supplier negotiations, delivering cost reductions, cost avoidance and synergy opportunities across the Haier Group.
• Translate category strategy into actionable business cases, align cross‑functional stakeholders and drive initiatives to delivery.
• Manage the full supplier lifecycle—from qualification and contracting to performance management and co‑innovation.
• Act as the primary procurement interface for senior internal stakeholders, influencing decisions at the right level and time.
• Coach and mentor emerging procurement talent, building the next generation of leaders.

Required profile

• Commercially astute senior leader with an entrepreneurial mindset and strong stakeholder‑influence skills.
• Deep understanding of how product design, supply chain, quality and manufacturing intersect.
• Proven ability to drive value creation in a global, multi‑category environment.
• Experience working in complex, globally distributed supply bases.

Required skills