Global Category Manager – Travel

KONE is a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry. Our mission is to improve the flow of urban life by providing innovative solutions such as elevators and escalators. At KONE, we focus on creating value throughout the building lifecycle with cutting-edge technology and seamless processes that exceed customer expectations.

KONE Procurement Organization (KPO) is supporting all KONE business functions and business lines in ensuring competitive, innovative, and suitable supply of products and services for their needs. Global Indirect Procurement is a category management led organization, driving cross-functional teams, developing and implementing category strategies and driving continues improvements.

To join our team, we are now seeking a highly skilled and motivated Global Category Manager – Travel

If you’re an experienced travel category management professional who thrives on complex supplier relationship management (SRM), supplier strategy, and delivering commercial impact at a global scale, this is the role for you. In this role, you'll build strong relationships with key business stakeholders, lead proactive sourcing projects, and influence demand management. You'll also lead travel category development, enhancing supplier performance and driving innovation and sustainability.

To succeed in the role, you are expected to increase value across the category and improve relationships both internally and externally. Ultimately, we strive to work proactively so that we can better meet demand, deliver simpler and better processes, and where necessary, find new suppliers that further increase value.

Main responsibilities

• Responsible for a global strategic setting & coordination in alignment with KONE organization globally and regionally
• Develop and execute SRM strategy to improve relationships with suppliers, reduce costs, enhance quality and sustainability and enable KONE to gain competitive advantage.
• Lead and involve cross-functional category teamwork to ensure buy-in and end-to-end implementation of category strategy in functions and business lines.
• Acting as subject matter expert in category for any needs.
• Executing projects based on the Category strategies and business plans
• Driving change management and innovation with strategic suppliers
• Captures category best practices, processes and standards, providing guidance to ensure these best practices are implemented across the category and regions, continuously improving ways of working
• Responsible for identifying, initiate and implement cost saving opportunities to ensure savings targets are met
• Responsible for delivery of global strategic sourcing activities though document preparation, vendor selection, conducting RFP, coordination evaluation, initiating award approval cycle and communication results.
• Track governance and compliance against category strategy by managers and local teams

Requirements for the role

• A bachelor's or master’s degree in supply chain management, logistics, business administration, or a related field.
• 10+ years skills and experience in Sourcing or Global Category Management or relevant business/corporate functions. Min 3-5 years of experience within Travel category
• Proven experience in successfully managing Travel related projects, demonstrating project management skills and knowledge
• Proficiency in procurement and sourcing strategies, including supplier evaluation, negotiation, and contract management
• In-depth understanding of project management methodologies, tools, and best practices
• Vast experience in change and a stakeholder management
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities for assessing market trends, optimizing category plans, and managing project complexities
• Strategic thinking and high level of business acumen
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Strong leadership skills, experience of leading matrix organizations
• Fluent in English, both spoken and written

We offer

As KONE is a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, this is a key role and a great opportunity to build the future cities through improving how people live, work and play in the cities and to help us continue innovating and making magic happen also in the future. You will be working with highly dynamic teams significantly investing time and effort on how we develop services and solutions. You get a chance to work with and participate in further developing products and services that are used by billions of users in daily basis. Products and services that are widely recognized by their quality and innovation. 

We will offer you an opportunity to work in an international team and develop your skills in Sourcing Category Management area as well as see different KONE processes closely in collaboration with other organizations and external suppliers.

If you got interested in this position, please send your application with CV and cover letter latest 4th of April.

For more information, please contact, Jens Sjöborg via email [email protected]

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At KONE, we are focused on creating an innovative and collaborative working culture where we value the contribution of each individual. Employee engagement is a key focus area for us and we encourage participation and the sharing of information and ideas. Sustainability is an integral part of our culture and the daily practice. We follow ethical business practices and we seek to develop a culture of working together where co-workers trust and respect each other and good performance is recognized. In being a great place to work, we are proud to offer a range of experiences and opportunities that will help you to achieve your career and personal goals and enable you to live a healthy and balanced life.

Read more on www.kone.com/careers