Senior Global IM&S Category Manager IT

Join us and celebrate the beauty of human experience. Create for happier, healthier lives, with love for nature. Together, with kindness and humility, we deliver food innovations, craft inspired fragrances and develop beauty and wellbeing solutions that make people look and feel good. There’s much to learn and many to learn from, with more than 16,000 employees around the world to explore ideas and ambitions with. Dive into varied, flexible, and stimulating environments. Meet empowered professionals to partner with, befriend, and stretch your skills alongside. Every day, your energy, your creativity, and your determination will shape our future, making a positive difference on billions of people. Every essence of you enriches our world. We are Givaudan. Human by nature.  

 

Senior Global IM&S Category Manager IT - Your future role?

As the Senior Global IM&S Category Manager IT, you will establish a clear global Software, Cloud, and Emerging Tech procurement vision and strategy in alignment with the global Procurement strategy, with a focus on value creation, cost optimization, and vendor innovation. You also will develop and implement strategies (and tactical plans) to source large-spend and/or complex software, cloud/SaaS, DevOps, data services, and IT professional services categories, ensuring supplier performance, compliance, and commercial advantage. Operates with high autonomy. You will lead cross-functional sourcing teams with stakeholders from IT, Finance, Legal, and Business Units.

You will be based in Vernier, Switzerland and you will report directly to the Global Head of IM&S.

The position is open with a 1 year fixed-term contract.

 

Your main responsibilities will be:

 

Sourcing Strategy

• Drive global category strategies for software, cloud/SaaS, emerging technologies, licensing/subscription models, and IT services

• Conduct market analysis for disruptive tech; implement vendor risk mitigation plans

• Lead sourcing strategies with cross-functional teams, including regional managers and IT leads

• Execute major RFQs/RFPs and negotiate contracts with Tier 1 software and service providers

Portfolio Management

• Negotiate and manage global licensing agreements, subscription frameworks, and managed services SLAs

• Select, onboard, and audit software/cloud vendors; actively manage relationships to drive continuous improvement

• Identify portfolio optimization opportunities (e.g., consolidation, rightsizing, standardization)

• Coordinate with regional IM&S teams to deploy contracts globally; collect supplier performance data

• Own key supplier relationships for strategic tech vendors; lead escalations with GBS support

Stakeholder Relationship

• Communicate market trends (e.g., AI/ML adoption, cloud-pricing shifts) to Global Head IM&S and business stakeholders

• Support Responsible Sourcing projects by ensuring digital service providers meet sustainability and ethical standards

• Influence stakeholders to adapt demand/specifications for cost and efficiency gains. People Management

• Build and mentor a strong procurement network for software and IT services globally

• Develop talent with digital, cloud, and technology procurement expertise

• Promote high potentials and address performance gaps

Cost Optimization & Business Planning

• Develop annual initiatives and forecasts for software/cloud spends

• Lead cost reduction projects through license optimization, vendor consolidation, and competitive sourcing

• Provide global price forecasts and insights into cloud and subscription economies

Sustainability & Technology Enablement

• Drive Responsible Sourcing agenda for digital suppliers, including green cloud initiatives

• Use AI-based tools for spend analytics, vendor risk scoring, and predictive cost modelling

• Collaborate with IT/data analytics teams to develop dashboards for vendor performance and market trends

 

Your professional profile includes:

 

• University degree in IT, Business, or Supply Chain or equivalent experience considered

• 10 years' experience in IM&S Procurement or functional experience

• 5 years' of proven leadership experience in an international environment

• International exposure in previous role

• Fluent in English

• Strong leadership skills, with emphasis on people management

• Good understanding of business needs and ability to engage with stakeholders at different levels and with different functions

• Good understanding of procurement processes and systems

• Strong collaborator, builds network rapidly

• CI mindset and ability to Challenge current state. Managerial Courage

• Change management skills – track record in managing culture and complex transformations

 

Our benefits:

 

 

• Healthcare support

• Paid Time Off and family leave

• Retirement plan

• Sport and leisure clubs

• Company shop

• Staff restaurant

 

At Givaudan, you contribute to delightful taste and scent experiences that touch people’s lives.
You work within an inspiring teamwork culture – where you can thrive, collaborate and learn from other talented and passionate people across disciplines, regions and divisions.
Every essence of you enriches our world.
Givaudan is committed to equal opportunities. Therefore, we welcome applications regardless of cultural and social background, gender, age, religion or sexual identity. 
We also have a safe working environment, progressive working conditions and are certified as an equal pay employer.