Zeppelin Group: Procurement
Location: Preference Steinhausen (Switzerland) or any of Zeppelin’s European locations
Reporting Line: Head of Category Management Non-CAT Direct Materials
ABOUT THE ROLE
As a Category Manager – Direct Non-CAT Materials, you will you will assume global responsibility for all strategic tasks and procurement activities for selected direct non-CAT material categories outside the Caterpillar portfolio. This requires cross-functional and global collaboration with relevant peers and stakeholders, as well as external suppliers. You will manage strategic sourcing activities, supplier relationships, contract negotiations, and cost optimization initiatives across multiple countries and business units within the Zeppelin Group.
You will act as the global owner of your assigned categories, ensuring that procurement decisions support both business needs and Zeppelin’s long-term strategic objectives.
This position is available across multiple categories:
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Logistics
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Non-CAT Spare Parts (incl. Liquids/Filters)
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MRO Supplies
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MRO Services
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Non-CAT Attachments
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Non-CAT Construction Equipment
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Non-CAT Construction Machinery
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Road Construction & Safety
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Containers & Site Cabins
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Working Platforms, Elevators, Forklifts
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Non-CAT Power Systems Supplies
Please indicate in your application which category you are applying for. This information will enable us to assess your qualifications and experience against the relevant requirements and responsibilities of the selected category.
YOUR TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES
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Establishing, maintaining, and managing supplier relationships to ensure competitive terms and a stable supply chain
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Developing and implementing sustainable category strategies to optimize the quality, cost structure, and availability of materials and services
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Conducting comprehensive market analyses to identify potential suppliers and technologies
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Redesigning and implementing strategic supplier management
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Designing and implementing forecasting systems for suppliers based on S&OP processes
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Preparing requests for proposals, conducting bid comparisons, and leading price and terms negotiations, including preparing corresponding framework agreements to leverage economies of scale
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Drafting and negotiating contracts, confidently handling contract law and correspondence with attorneys
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Establishing targeted sourcing specifications for materials and services and developing KPI-based risk management for the assigned category
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Coordinating interfaces between Operational Procurement, Master Data & Operations Planning, Product Management, Engineering, Logistics, Quality Management, and Finance & Controlling
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
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A degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s) in Business, Engineering, Economics or equivalent qualification
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5+ years of experience in strategic or project-specific procurement
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Strong negotiation skills, analytical abilities, and expertise in cost and risk management
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A strong service-oriented mindset and an awareness of working as a strategic procurement professional in a highly cross-functional organization
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Understanding of technical requirements, project workflows, and agile working methods, as well as knowledge of contract law and negotiation skills
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Resilience, initiative, and the ability to take on responsibility in a dynamic and global environment
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Fluency in English and German, knowledge of further languages is a plus
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Willingness to travel
Why Join Zeppelin Procurement?
We are creating a procurement organization that moves beyond transactional purchasing, becomes a strategic business partner delivering measurable competitive advantage and generates measurable value and impact to our business. If you want to lead a team, shape the strategic direction for direct-materials category management and drive lasting value creation across an international organization, we would like to hear from you.
