Global Category Lead Information Technology

Job Description

Company Description

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2021, Continental generated sales of €33.8 billion and currently employs more than 190,000 people in 58 countries and markets. On October 8, 2021, the company celebrated its 150th anniversary.

The ContiTech group sector develops and manufactures, for example, cross-material, environmentally friendly and intelligent products and systems for the automotive industry, railway engineering, mining, agriculture and other key industries. Guided by the vision of “smart and sustainable solutions beyond rubber,” the group sector draws on its long-standing knowledge of the industry and materials to open up new business opportunities by combining various materials with electronic components and individual services.

Job Description

As Global Category Lead – Information Technology (m/f/d), you will be responsible for the worldwide strategic procurement of IT solutions and services across all ContiTech Business Areas. You will report directly and functionally to the Head of Global Cluster Infrastructure and play a key role in shaping and implementing the global IT purchasing strategy.

Your Responsibilities:

Leadership & Management

· Technical and functional leadership of a global team in line with Continental’s Leadership Principles

· Definition and tracking of objectives and performance targets

· Support and development of team members to ensure motivation and success

· Guidance in complex cases to ensure team effectiveness

Stakeholder Partnership

· Act as a key interface between internal and external stakeholders (e.g. Engineering, Plants, Suppliers)

· Translate business and purchasing strategies into actionable plans

· Train and support stakeholders in using the right tools, methods, and processes

Category Management

· Manage an annual spend of category IT

· Develop and implement supplier strategies in alignment with stakeholders and corporate guidelines

· Analyze data and manage category-related KPIs to track progress

· Ensure stakeholder satisfaction through transparent communication

Supplier Relationship Management

· Conduct global supplier market analysis and benchmarking

· Maintain strategic supplier relationships and lead strategic supplier meetings

· Drive supplier evaluations and development programs

· Lead negotiations and cost optimization initiatives

· Ensure supplier compliance with Continental’s Business Partner Code of Conduct and Responsible Value Chain standards

Sourcing & Contract Management

· Independently conduct international negotiations and supplier decisions in line with internal policies

· Drive make-or-buy decisions and value engineering initiatives

· Manage strategic complaint and claim negotiations

· Oversee contract lifecycle management to ensure operational and financial success

· Ensure full compliance with Continental’s ethics, values, and corporate guidelines

Qualifications

· University degree in economics, engineering, or a comparable qualification

· Strong proficiency in MS Office 365 and relevant procurement tools

· Fluent English skills (written and spoken); additional languages (e.g. German, Spanish) are a plus

· Several years of professional experience in purchasing or related fields in an international environment

· Proven project management experience in global settings

· Strong negotiation skills and intercultural competence

Additional Information

We offer:

• The 13-th salary – Paid once a year, in December;
• Meal tickets - With a value of 40 Ron;
• Hybrid schedule – Work-life balance is important, so we offer a flexible schedule. Please agree on this with your superior;
• Private Health Insurance – Health is the most important, so we offer you a medical subscription through Signal Iduna;
• Referral bonuses - We encourage colleagues to refer new candidates to us and, at the same time, to get the chance to receive a bonus;
• Bookster– Feed your body and your mind. You can borrow books and you’ll receive them at the office;
• Sports benefits- It’s important to stay active, so we offer you the 7Card;
• Discounts at our partners – We collaborate with different vendors, and we receive discounts for various products/ services like rubbers, restaurants, kindergartens, etc;
• System for Rewarding Improvement Ideas – We have an internal improvement program (Continental Idea Management) that gives you the opportunity to come up with ideas and to be honored with an attractive bonus (this is established by the CIM team according to your improvement idea);
• Happy days – If you or your child is getting married, or you become a parent, you receive some extra free days;
• Life events celebration - If your family is growing, we praise your newborn with a bonus;
• Unfortunate events - In case of unhappy events in your life, we support you by offering you free days and financial support (handled on a case by-case basis);
• Extra vacation days– You begin with 22 vacation days/year, and starting with the 3rd year with us, we offer you 1 more day of vacation and, afterward from 2 to 2 years you’ll get one more extra day (the maximum you can achieve is 27);
• Transport from the Timisoara area – You can choose to come with the bus provided by the company if you’ll work from the plant location/office;
• Professional development - Many opportunities to develop yourself within the company;
• Diversity and multicultural mindset- We encourage you to join us no matter who, where, or what you are. We have colleagues from different nations and a variety of languages are spoken in our company.

Ready to drive with Continental? Take the first step and fill in the online application.