SeniorFull TimeEN
Unilabs is the largest provider of medical laboratory diagnostics for prescribers and hospitals in Switzerland and employs around 800 people.
We are building our procurement function from the ground up within a Swiss-based medical laboratory environment. This is not a role where processes are already in place and you simply maintain them. We need someone who thrives in ambiguity, who can operate autonomously from day one, and who is comfortable toggling between hands-on tactical purchasing work and high-impact strategic initiatives.
As our Category Manager, you will own both direct and indirect procurement categories, develop sourcing strategies, and drive measurable cost savings — all while handling the daily operational realities of a procurement function that is still maturing. You will work closely with a global procurement team and will need to navigate cultural, regulatory, and operational differences with ease.
This role is ideal for someone who is energised by building, not just managing. If you have spent your career in highly structured procurement organisations where everything was already defined, this position will challenge you. If, on the other hand, you have a track record of creating order from complexity and delivering results in imperfect conditions, we want to hear from you.
Develop and implement category strategies across direct (laboratory consumables, reagents, medical devices, scientific equipment) and indirect (facilities, IT, professional services, MRO) spend categories, tailored to Swiss market dynamics and aligned with global procurement direction.
Lead sourcing events end-to-end: from market analysis and specification development through RFx execution, negotiation, supplier selection, and contract award.
Drive change projects that deliver significant, quantifiable cost savings — not just price reductions, but total cost of ownership improvements, demand management initiatives, and process efficiencies.
Manage Capex procurement for medical equipment, laboratory instruments, and facility investments: define technical specifications, evaluate proposals with stakeholders, and optimise total cost of ownership in compliance with industry regulations.
Build and maintain a supplier performance management framework, including regular business reviews, KPI tracking, and corrective action plans.
Coordinate with the Global Category Manager to ensure Swiss strategies contribute to — and benefit from — the company’s global supplier agreements and procurement policies.
Day-to-Day Operational Work
Manage requisitions, and resolve supplier issues in a timely manner — this function is still building its maturity, and tactical execution is a part of the workload today.
Support the transition and adoption of procurement tools and systems, including ERP environments (experience with SAP, Dynamics 365, Coupa, or equivalent is relevant).
Collaborate daily with finance, supply chain, quality, and laboratory teams to ensure procurement decisions support operational needs.
Ensure compliance with corporate procurement guidelines, Swiss regulatory requirements, and industry best practices
We are deliberately specific below. We want to attract candidates who genuinely recognise themselves in this description — not those who simply match keywords.
Required Experience and Competencies
A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in procurement, category management, or strategic sourcing, with demonstrable exposure to both direct and indirect categories.
Proven experience managing Capex procurement — ideally in the medical, pharmaceutical, or life sciences sector. If your Capex experience is from another regulated industry, explain the parallels in your application.
A track record of delivering cost savings or value improvements through change projects, not just routine negotiations. We will ask you to quantify specific examples.
Hands-on experience working in a low-maturity or developing procurement function — you know what it means to build processes, templates, and stakeholder trust from scratch.
Demonstrated ability to work autonomously, prioritise competing demands, and make sound decisions without waiting for detailed instructions.
Strong analytical capabilities: you are comfortable with Excel (pivot tables, data modelling), Power BI or equivalent tools, and you use data to support your sourcing decisions, not just to produce reports.
Experience collaborating with global or matrix procurement teams across different time zones and cultures.
Fluency in English and French (C1 minimum). Proficiency in German is a strong differentiator.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related discipline.
What Will Set You Apart
You are agile. You can shift from drafting a three-year category strategy in the morning to resolving an urgent supplier delivery issue in the afternoon — without losing focus on either.
You are a builder. You see gaps in processes and tools as opportunities, not frustrations. You proactively propose improvements.
You are collaborative without being dependent. You bring stakeholders along on strategic decisions but do not need consensus to move forward on operational ones.
You have high learning-curve capability. When you encounter an unfamiliar category or market, you research it quickly, seek the right expertise, and develop an informed position.
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Mr Laurent Krenzi,
