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Your opportunity

The Associate Category Manager is accountable for supporting the development and implementation of category strategies and the related pipeline of global projects and category initiatives.

This entails executing a variety of tasks such as supply market data collection, reporting and analytics, supporting selected high value RF(X) activities, and other activities & tasks aimed at ensuring development and implementation of the relevant Category Strategies.. As a member of the Category Management team, the Associate Category Manager contributes to the long-term Category and/or Supplier Strategy. The role collaborates with Category Managers, Sourcing Managers and the legal department to support negotiations and contracting activities. The Associate Category Manager may also support the operationalization and implementation of strategic initiatives by converting outcomes and content into category guidance documents or other implementation support materials and guidance.

The Associate Category Manager has solid knowledge of Roche’s category and supplier management approach, and applies this expertise to effectively support category managers in achieving the category objectives. The role uses strong procurement analytical skills to collect and evaluate supplier, market, category, and internal business data and information required to monitor and evaluate implementation of strategic initiatives. Using leadership and communications skills, the role effectively guides stakeholders through the procurement process, ensuring alignment and support, escalation of risks and issues in a timely manner and efficient handover to Procurement Delivery and Enablement teams for full implementation of projects as applicable.
Through the application of rigorous tools and techniques, and partnering with relevant stakeholders, the Associate Category Manager delivers significant Procurement impact.

Primary responsibilities:

• Development of Category Strategy & Annual Global Pipeline: Support category managers by gathering supplier, market, category, internal data, and business requirements to formulate the Category Strategy and develop proactive initiatives based on it
  
• Implementation of Strategic Category Initiatives: Assist in executing projects in compliance with relevant policies, standards, guidelines, and procedures
  
• Negotiation and Contracting: Aid Category Managers in negotiations and contract drafting by providing analytics, insights, fact-based building, and market benchmarks
  
• Strategic Sourcing: Execute high-value strategic sourcing initiatives and RFx to support the annual pipeline implementation
  
• Reporting: Ensure accurate reporting of Procurement Balanced Scorecard (BSC) inputs, operational metrics, and savings. Maintain spend data accuracy through validation and remediation activities, and generate monthly metrics reports
  
• Provide Feedback: Contribute feedback to employees involved in related activities as requested by their line managers
  

Who you are

• University degree, with Business or Life Sciences degree preferable incl. 2+ years procurement or supply chain experience in strategic sourcing, enterprise cost reduction, and / or operational efficiency projects
  
• Demonstrated understanding of some of the major direct spend categories and potential cost levers or market fundamentals
  
• Strong experience in upwards communication and global stakeholder management skills supported by good interpersonal competencies (communication, influencing)
  
• Proven capability in negotiation, conflict resolution and stakeholder management
  
• Knowledgeable in procurement specific systems and processes for the efficient management of sourcing events and contract negotiations (e.g. e Sourcing, e Auction)
  

Desired:

• Post graduate business related qualification
  
• Documented international strategic sourcing or cost reduction experience, Life Sciences or Management Consulting industry experience
  
• Analytical experience including ability to drive insights from large and varied data sources, data visualization applications (e.g. Tableau) and database applications (e.g. Access)
  
• Experience with enterprise systems (SAP, Oracle) and procurement / procure-to-pay tools such as (e.g. Ariba, SAP) is preferred, any professional purchasing (e.g. CIPS), project management (e.g. PMP, Prince 2), or Finance related licenses or certifications would be considered advantageous
  

Availability to travel (air and ground both domestic and internationally) for up to 10% of time for various meetings at Roche and Supplier sites.

Are you ready to apply? We want someone who thinks beyond the job offered - someone who knows that this position can be an outstanding opportunity to craft the future of Roche.

At Roche, more than 100,000 people across 100 countries are pushing back the frontiers of healthcare. Working together, we’ve become one of the world’s leading research-focused healthcare groups. Our success is built on innovation, curiosity and diversity.

Roche Diagnostics International in Rotkreuz is a leading provider of diagnostic systems solutions, and the largest manufacturer of fully automated in vitro diagnostic systems in Switzerland. We are more than 2’700 passionate colleagues from over 65 nationalities. Find out more about our site in Central Switzerland, here.

Besides extensive development and training opportunities, we offer flexible working options, 18 weeks of maternity leave and 10 weeks of gender independent partnership leave. Our employees benefit from multiple services on site such as child-care facilities, medical services, restaurants and cafeterias, as well as various employee events.

We believe in the power of diversity and inclusion, and strive to identify and create opportunities that enable all people to bring their unique selves to Roche.