Area Category Manager, APAC, Middle East, South Africa & Turkiye (APM)

Who are we?

In a world where cities are constantly evolving and more and more people choose to live in them, we at KONE stand with one clear aim: to shape the future of cities. We make urban life more vibrant and livable. And we do it by enabling safe, sustainable, and effortless people flow for all. We help cities leave a positive mark on the planet - for the next century and beyond. We shape the future of cities. We operate in close to 70 countries around the world, serving almost 600,000 customers. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, we have eight global R&D centers and ten manufacturing units in seven countries, as well as a worldwide network of agents and authorized distributors.

Why this role?

The Area Category Manager is responsible for coordinating and managing sourcing efforts for specific spend categories across Front Lines (FLs) in an Area. Develops and drives the implementation of regional category strategies and plans for his/her spending area and coaches FL Procurement Specialists on sourcing suppliers in the same spending areas. Actively drives the development of cross-unit suppliers and manages selected Area-based supplier relationships.

What will you be doing? Your key responsibilities will include:

Categories:

Direct Materials & Spares

Steelworks & Customer Projects

• Coordinate Sourcing Efforts: Manage sourcing activities for assigned categories across various functional locations (FLs) within the APM region.
• Develop and Implement Strategies: Create area-level category strategies and ensure they align with global strategies.
• Manage RFx Processes: Create and manage requests for proposals, quotes, and information (RFx) for materials and services according to category plans.
• Lead Supplier Negotiations: Conduct regional supplier negotiations to secure the best terms.
• Contract Management: Act as the contract owner and manage area-level suppliers in line with category plans and supplier segmentation.
• Implement Sourcing Plans: Ensure unit and country sourcing teams execute area sourcing plans and strategies effectively.
• Price Benchmarking: Collaborate with FL Sourcing Specialists to ensure local price lists are competitively benchmarked.
• Conduct Analyses: Perform deep-dive analyses for different countries and suggest supplier setup changes based on optimal cost of ownership.
• Optimize Spare Parts Supply: Support FL units in optimizing their spare parts supply in collaboration with Global Spare Part (GSS).
  
  

Leadership and People Management:

• Lead and Develop Teams: Lead, coach, involve, and develop regional sourcing category team members, ensuring they receive proper training.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Maintain strong connections with key stakeholders, including FL units.
• Align Actions with Global Plans: Ensure that all actions are aligned with global category and business plans.
  
  

Are You the One? We are looking for someone who embodies the following qualities:

• Experience: 5-10 years of category experience in a regional role.
• Proactive: Always looking for ways to improve processes and strategies.
• Change Management: Skilled in managing and driving change.
• Stakeholder Management: Confident in educating and managing stakeholders.
• Analytical Skills: Proficient in data analysis.
• Willingness to Learn: Eager to learn and grow within the role.
  
  

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Environment: Be part of a team that values innovation and excellence.
• Career Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.
• Collaborative Culture: Work with a diverse and talented team.
  
  

Additional details:

This role can be based in any of these countries Singapore, Malaysia, Chennai, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, or Qatar and the applicant must hold working right for the country to be considered for this position.

Working at KONE:

Welcome to KONE! We are a diverse team of over 60,000 employees, enabling safe, sustainable, and effortless people flow for billions of city dwellers every day. Innovating together across everything we do, we show the way for the good of our planet and its people. Here, you are welcomed as you are, your courage is celebrated, and your impact rewarded. Grounded by our strong roots stretching back over a century, our exciting journey continues – join us and let’s shape the future of cities together!

KONE Awards and achievements:

• CDP 2023 ’A‘ score for corporate sustainability leadership.
• 34 best-in-class energy efficiency ISO 25745 references for our elevator and escalator platforms.
• Forbes’ 2023 Global 2000:World’s Best Employers list.
• EcoVadis gold medal for sustainability performance.
• Representing 153 nationalities worldwide.
  
  

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