Category Manager to Kekkilä-BVB Procurement & Logistics

Kekkilä-BVB is the European leader in horticulture. We provide products and services for professional greenhouse growers, retail, consumers and landscapers to over 100 countries worldwide. We have strong product brands within the professional and consumer growing markets, trading under the names of BVB Substrates, Kekkilä Professional, Brill Substrates, BVB Landscaping, Kekkilä, Hasselfors Garden, Terra Brill, Jardino and Florentus. Together with our customers we grow for a better future. Kekkilä-BVB is a part of Neova Group. www.kekkila-bvb.com

Kekkilä-BVB Procurement & Logistics, Business Area Nordics is responsible for the strategic development and operational management of sourcing and procurement in direct procurement categories and logistics within Kekkilä-BVB Nordics and Global Business Areas in Finland, Sweden and Estonia and also responsible for Indirect procurement categories globally within Kekkilä-BVB Group. Kekkilä-BVB Procurement & Logistics aims at creating best value through best-in class procurement and logistics management capability and performance. Customer centricity and effective collaboration within Business Areas, with internal and external customers and other functions and with external partners are key success factors.

We are now looking for a Category Manager to Kekkilä-BVB Procurement & Logistics, Business Area Nordics to manage direct raw material procurement categories in Finland, Sweden and Estonia. Role reports to Vice President, Kekkilä-BVB Procurement & Logistics, Business Area Nordics. Category Manager works in deep collaboration with Business Area functions in Nordics and Estonia and has a key role in procurement category management. Category Manager also provides support for procurement activities locally in Sweden as part of the role. Your home location will be in Örebro, Sweden. Role requires 10-20 % traveling.

In the role as Category Manager you will have an exciting position in the company's category management and sourcing, strategically and tactically. You will be involved in development and execution of Kekkilä-BVB Nordics procurement strategy.

You will be responsible for strategic and tactical category management and sourcing in responsible direct raw material categories in Finland, Sweden and Estonia. You will develop and implement category strategies, manage strategic suppliers, source raw material suppliers and manage supplier negotiations. You are also working actively to ensure close and effective cooperation with other departments and teams through countries.

As part of your role you also provide local support for other Category Managers and Purchasers over categories in Sweden to ensure effective collaboration within Procurement & Logistics.

To your help you have competent colleagues within Procurement & Logistics, Group Services and Business Areas.

Who are you?

We see that you have an academic education, preferably in industrial economics, technology or that you have gained experience in some other way that can be considered equivalent. We are looking for someone who has several years of experience in category management and strategic sourcing. You should also have a strategic and tactical approach.

It is a merit if you have experience in development project management, as well as experience in change management in industrial environment.

Your prestigeless and down-to-earth approach is characterized by clarity and trust. You have solid experience in category management and strategic sourcing and you are able to manage change and development projects. You are inspirational and communicative. You have the ability to make people around you feel good and achieve good results together. With your analytical mindset you are driven and motivated to work towards set goals while working in a structured and methodical way. You strive forward and work in a development oriented way.

To be successful in this challenging and exciting role in Kekkilä-BVB, person who we look for has probably achieved great success in following areas:

• Has great co-operation skills – effective networking and collaboration
• Has a professional, representative and humble approach
• Takes responsibility, both for the business and for its own development
• Have strong skills in
• Category management incl. supplier management
• Strategic sourcing
• Project and change management
• Procurement processes and digitalization
• Is businesslike
• Is analytical and solution oriented
• Quickly grasps new situations and sees change as an opportunity

About the position

• Permanent position, we apply 6 months temporary employment as a start.
• Full time
• Monthly salary
• Start date: as soon as possible
• Location: Örebro office
• Role requires 10-20% travel time
• Since Kekkilä-BVB is an international company fluent English in addition to fluent Swedish or Finnish is mandatory.
• Selection of candidates takes place continuously, we might fill the position before last application date. Welcome with your application no later than 17th of April 2024.

For more information about this position, please contact Jani Mökkönen,

jani.mokkonen@kekkila-bvb.com