Global Category Manager – Clinical / Direct Procurement

Pharma, Healthcare & Animal Health – Madrid/Multiple Hubs Across Europe

To apply, please contact Adam at [email protected]

Highly Reputable Global Brand | €55k – €65k + Package | Madrid Based + Multiple Location options throughout Europe + Hybrid Flexibility

We are partnering with a leading organisation within the healthcare and life sciences sector, continuing its procurement transformation journey across direct clinical and R&D categories. This is an opportunity to bring structure, innovation, and best-practice procurement to a growing European operation.

With an expanding footprint across pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and animal health, this role suits individuals looking to combine operational delivery with strategic influence in a regulated, science-driven environment.

The Opportunity:

A Global Category Manager – Clinical / Directs is required to drive sourcing excellence from the organisation’s hub in Madrid.

You will work closely with R&D, clinical operations, legal, finance, regulatory and quality teams to shape category strategies, strengthen supplier relationships, and embed consistent sourcing standards and documentation.

What Makes This Role Different:

• Global remit supporting a maturing procurement function across clinical and scientific categories
• Influence category strategy, implement sourcing frameworks, and standardise processes across areas such as:
• Clinical trial services, full-service CROs and specialist providers
• Biomarker, central laboratory and bioanalytical services
• Lab equipment, consumables, and scientific technology
• Packaging, materials, and external manufacturing partners
• Drive both commercial value and risk/compliance outcomes, including GxP alignment, audit readiness, and service quality
• Opportunity to contribute to project governance, reporting, dashboards, benchmarking initiatives, templates, process descriptions, and continuous improvement projects

My client is interested in profiles who demonstrate:

• Proven experience in clinical or R&D procurement within pharmaceuticals, biotech, healthcare or related regulated sectors
• Hands-on experience managing RFP/RFI cycles, rate cards, master service agreements (MSAs), scope of work (SOW) development, and contract execution with clinical vendors or CROs
• Ability to conduct market analysis, benchmark service offerings, and manage supplier performance using defined KPIs
• Strong cross-functional stakeholder engagement with teams such as clinical operations, regulatory affairs, QA, finance, legal, and technical/scientific functions
• Confidence working with structured reporting, savings tracking, documentation standards, and procurement systems (e.g. Ariba, contract management workflows, dashboards)
• A mindset for process improvement, simplification, and bringing consistency to sourcing documentation, templates, and workflows
• Relevant qualification (CIPS or equivalent) beneficial

Location & Ways of Working

• My client is open to candidates based in most locations throughout Europe
• Occasional European travel to engage suppliers and global teams

Why Apply?

This role offers scope far beyond transactional procurement.

You will be part of a transformation journey with the chance to:

• Shape how clinical and scientific categories are sourced
• Build long-term supplier partnerships
• Create templates, tools, best-practice documentation and reporting structures
• Influence strategic decision-making in a science-led, global environment

If you are motivated by ownership, process maturity, stakeholder collaboration, and delivering measurable value, we would love to hear from you.

Apply now: Send your CV to Adam at [email protected]

Keywords: Procurement, Clinical Procurement, Category Manager, Directs, CRO Management, Biomarkers, Central Labs, RFP, MSA, SOW, R&D Procurement, Pharmaceuticals, Life Sciences, Healthcare, Animal Health, Madrid, GxP, Contracting, Process Improvement, Supplier Management, Transformation