Senior Global Category Manager (m/f/d) - Metal & Plastics

Doka – an innovative and reliable partner in the construction industry. For over 150 years. As a leading provider of formwork and scaffolding solutions, we understand the challenges our customers face. Our more than 8,400 employees in 54 countries and 150 locations on 5 continents go the extra mile with passion and dedication. Various construction projects worldwide are proof of this. Realize your potential in a supportive, high-performance work environment that is focused on continuous growth. Let's shape the future together. We make it work. As Senior Global Category Manager – Metal & Plastics (m/f/d), you will take end-to-end ownership of strategically important material categories within Doka’s international procurement organization. Based at our Innovation Hub in Malaysia, you will independently define priorities, develop global category strategies, and drive their implementation across regions. With a high degree of autonomy, you will manage your category portfolio, initiate strategic sourcing projects, and make well-founded recommendations based on market, supplier, and cost insights. You will be trusted to proactively identify opportunities, structure complex topics, and move initiatives forward in close collaboration with international stakeholders. Acting as a strategic business partner to Procurement, Production, Engineering, Quality, Logistics, and Sales, you will contribute directly to cost competitiveness, supply security, innovation, and the continuous development of our global supply chains. This role is ideal for an experienced procurement professional who enjoys taking ownership, working independently, and creating impact in a dynamic international environment. Your Responsibilities • Take end-to-end ownership of global Metal & Plastics categories and independently manage the respective strategic agenda • Develop, prioritize, and implement global category strategies aligned with Doka’s business and procurement objectives • Proactively identify sourcing opportunities and translate market insights into concrete initiatives and measurable results • Independently plan and lead complex international tenders, supplier selections, and commercial and contractual negotiations • Build, manage, and continuously develop a competitive global supplier portfolio • Negotiate and conclude long-term framework agreements with strategic suppliers • Analyze global markets, cost structures, price developments, and supply trends to identify value-creation opportunities • Drive total cost of ownership initiatives, standardization, value engineering, and alternative sourcing solutions • Initiate and lead strategic sourcing projects, including the introduction of new suppliers, technologies, and materials • Identify and mitigate supply, market, geopolitical, and supplier-related risks • Provide strategic recommendations and confidently represent category-related decisions toward senior stakeholders • Collaborate across functions and regions while ensuring the structured and timely implementation of agreed initiatives • Technical or commercial degree with a strong understanding of industrial products, manufacturing processes, and cost structures • Substantial experience in strategic procurement or global category management within an international industrial or manufacturing environment • Strong market and category expertise in metal and plastics • Proven ability to independently develop and implement global category strategies • Demonstrated track record of taking ownership, setting priorities, and successfully driving complex initiatives with a high degree of autonomy • Extensive experience in global supplier management, strategic sourcing, and complex contract negotiations • Sound understanding of total cost of ownership, cost breakdowns, market dynamics, and supply risk management • Strong strategic, analytical, and commercial capabilities, combined with a pragmatic and solution-oriented mindset • Proactive and self-organized working style with the confidence to make recommendations and drive decisions • Ability to influence senior stakeholders and create alignment across functions, regions, and cultures • Experience working with international teams, ideally within the Asia-Pacific region • Proficiency in ERP systems, preferably SAP, and MS Office • Fluent English; German is an advantage • Willingness to travel internationally