Specialist Category Manager

ALBS is an Air Liquide entity in Kuala Lumpur, regrouping for the APAC scope its Business Service Centers (Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai) as well as the two Global Functions (IT, Digital and Procurement). Designed to derive optimal value by better leveraging technology, people and competencies, the ultimate goal is to boost efficiency and deliver outstanding and sustainable performance while keeping a strong focus on customer centricity. This Organization is striving for excellence, adopting the Best in Class models to deliver value through simplification and standardization of processes, while adhering to Internal controls and compliance requirements.

We are looking for specialist category managers to join our APAC procurement transformation and become part of an exciting journey towards a centralized procurement organization.

The APAC Specialist Category Manager will

drive strategic category management to ensure AL organization matches market benchmark in terms of best practices

and technologies and as such become a critical business partner to AL’s internal business lines.

support and/or own the coordination of all external procurement activities for the category across APAC, including the

development and implementation of category strategies (short, mid and long term) & plans to support designated

APAC-wide strategic objectives.

help to promote internal collaboration, knowledge sharing, compliance with best practices and established category

management processes.

**How will you CONTRIBUTE and GROW?**:
The APAC Specialist Category Manager will
- drive strategic category management to ensure AL organization matches market benchmark in terms of best practices and technologies and as such become a critical business partner to AL’s internal business lines.
- support and/or own the coordination of all external procurement activities for the category across APAC, including the development and implementation of category strategies (short, mid and long term) & plans to support designated APAC-wide strategic objectives.
- help to promote internal collaboration, knowledge sharing, compliance with best practices and established category management processes.
- Support the development of category factbases & strategies and associated processes in collaboration with the category manager
- Execute independently strategic sourcing initiatives
- Track performance within each spend category
- Monitor strategy implementation and contract compliance
- Help to drive best practices
- Champion and secure TCO reductions for the category across sectors and regions
- Support sector execution issue resolution
- Support the process to select and manage suppliers
- Measure and track internal performance within sector and site
- Drive annual productivity improvements
- Develop an expertise in the global procurement spend categories through rigorous fact-based analytics (i.e. technical product/service characteristics, internal needs, external supply market dynamics, supply chain and risk management)
- Ensure all projects are delivered using standard tools and processes to meet the requirements outlined in Air Liquide’s group policies, standards and guidelines.

**Are you a MATCH?**:

- Min 5 years working experience of successful strategic category management within the procurement organization of a MNC
- Partial strategic category responsibility either on a global or at a regional (ie APAC) level
- A preferred industry background in FMCG, Automotive, Oil & Gas, Chemical, Electronics
- A Bachelor in engineering or business administration.
- Outstanding prior experience in data analytics, reporting and system design paired with the ability to synthesize data and build strong business cases
- Ability to formalize knowledge and build category strategies based on in-depth analytics as well as business & market insights
- Demonstrable experience in successfully leading and conducting the negotiation of contracts across technical, commercial and legal areas
- Ability to communicate succinctly verbally and in written form with both internal and external stakeholders
- Strong project management, problem solving and customer relationship management skills
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to role model the vision of the organization.
- Get prepared for internal resistances as we are in a changing and transforming APAC procurement team
- Mobility in terms of travel - coverage of all APAC countries (12 countries).
- An ability to work unsupervised and be a self-starter.

**About Air Liquide
A world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 78 countries with approximately 64,500 employees and serves more than 3.8 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902.

**Our Diffe