Regional Category Specialist – Services (Africa)
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
Work Model: Hybrid – Minimum 3 days onsite per week
Contract Duration: 12 Months
Language: Fluent in English and French (Written & Spoken)
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Regional Category Specialist – Services to join a leading global organization’s procurement team in Montreal.
This role will support business operations across African regions, including South Africa and Madagascar. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and executing regional category strategies, leading strategic sourcing initiatives, managing commercial contracts, and strengthening supplier relationships.
This is an excellent opportunity for a procurement professional with multinational experience who can manage complex international sourcing projects and deliver strategic commercial value in a global environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement regional category management strategies to optimize costs and maximize business value.
- Lead strategic sourcing initiatives, including supplier selection, commercial evaluations, and contract negotiations.
- Manage commercial agreements and ensure effective contract execution and compliance.
- Establish and maintain strong supplier relationship management frameworks.
- Partner with internal stakeholders and international business units to align procurement strategies with operational requirements.
- Conduct market research, industry analysis, and supplier assessments to support category strategies.
- Develop negotiation plans and lead complex commercial negotiations.
- Identify opportunities for cost optimization, process improvements, and procurement efficiencies.
- Monitor supplier performance, service quality, and contractual obligations.
- Ensure procurement activities comply with organizational policies, procedures, and HSE standards.
- Build and maintain supplier databases, analytical reports, and category management documentation.
- Collaborate with global and regional teams across different geographical locations and time zones.
Required Qualifications & Skills
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
- Minimum 6 years of experience in Procurement, Category Management, or Supply Chain Management.
- Previous experience working with multinational organizations is mandatory.
- Strong experience in strategic sourcing, category management, contract management, and supplier negotiations.
- Experience supporting international or regional procurement operations; African market experience is an asset.
- Strong understanding of procurement and supply chain management principles.
- Hands-on experience with procurement tools such as SAP, SAP Ariba, and Power BI.
- Advanced MS Excel skills, including pivot tables, data analysis, financial modelling, and scenario analysis.
- Strong commercial acumen and analytical capabilities.
- Excellent stakeholder management and supplier relationship management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities independently.
- Strong communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
- Cultural awareness and the ability to collaborate with diverse international teams.
- Knowledge of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) requirements in procurement.
Additional Requirements
- Fluency in both English and French (written and spoken) is mandatory.
- Flexibility to accommodate international time zones, including regular early morning calls starting at 5:00 AM.
- Willingness to travel internationally occasionally.
- Ability to work onsite in Montreal at least 3 days per week.
