Category Manager (CAPEX – Process Equipment)

Job Description

A pharmaceutical organisation is seeking an experienced Category Manager (CAPEX – Process Equipment) to lead the development and execution of category strategies for process equipment across CAPEX projects. This position is responsible for aligning business needs, engineering requirements, and supplier market capabilities while driving cost competitiveness, supply security, and innovation within a regulated pharmaceutical environment.

In this role, you will define and deploy category strategies, lead sourcing and supplier selection activities, negotiate commercial agreements, and partner closely with Engineering and Project Teams to ensure procurement is integrated early into project lifecycles. You will also manage strategic supplier relationships, optimise costs through value engineering, mitigate supply risks, and ensure compliance with GMP and technical standards.

Essential Requirements

• Degree in Engineering, Business, or equivalent
• Technical background preferred
• 10–15 years of experience in Procurement and/or Category Management
• Experience within the pharmaceutical or another regulated industry
• Strong experience sourcing process equipment
• Proven track record in commercial negotiations and supplier strategy development
• Experience supporting large CAPEX projects
• Strong understanding of engineering principles and the project lifecycle
• Experience leading sourcing and tendering processes (RFx, supplier selection)
• Experience managing strategic supplier relationships and supplier performance
• Experience driving cost optimisation and value engineering initiatives
• Experience managing supply risks and ensuring business continuity
• Understanding of GMP requirements and technical standards
• Fluent German (mandatory)
• Fluent English (mandatory)

Preferred Requirements

• Technical background
• Strategic and commercial mindset
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills
• Excellent stakeholder management across cross-functional teams
• Strong risk management and decision-making capabilities
• High level of ownership with a delivery-focused approach

Practicalities

Start Date: ASAP

Location: Visp, Switzerland

Scope: Responsible for the process equipment category across CAPEX projects within a pharmaceutical environment.

Interested? Send your CV to Miguel Gomes at m.gomes@panda-int.com or call +31 (0)20 2044 502 / +41 (0)44 5514 407 to discuss the opportunity.