Category Director IT

The Global Category Director (m/f/d) IT Procurement is accountable for transforming IT Procurement into a strategic enterprise capability that delivers measurable value, strengthens governance, enables digital transformation, and supports the ONE SYM operating model. The role owns the global category and sourcing strategy for IT and technology spend and ensures full alignment with the IT functional strategy, technology roadmap, investment priorities, target architecture, cybersecurity requirements, operating model, and digital transformation agenda.

• Responsibility for approcimately 96M€ in annual IT and technology spend across all divisions and regions.
• Leadership of an existing team of 3, including direct reports, virtual category teams and regional procurement resources - the team structure will evolve in line with our One Sym Procurement transformation and future business requirements.
• Own IT category strategies, sourcing models and supplier ecosystems for the following category scope:
• Software, SaaS, cloud services, and enterprise applications
• Digital platforms, data, and cybersecurity solutions
• Infrastructure, data centers, end-user computing, and telecommunications
• IT services, outsourcing, managed services, and technology consulting
• Emerging technologies and digital solutions
• Drive supplier innovation, performance management and long-term partnership development.
• Ensure adherence to procurement policies, standards, and processes

• You successfully completed you university degree in Business, Procurement, Supply Chain, Finance, IT or related field.
• 8-12 years of strategic procurement experience including significant responsibility for IT Procurement and category management across IT hardware, software and services.
• Demonstrated success leading global sourcing, transformation and value-creation initiatives.
• International stakeholder management experience as well as strong leadership experience.
• Experience operating effectively in complex global matrix organizations.
• Strong commercial, negotiation, supplier-management and strategic sourcing capabilities.
• Sound understanding of technology markets, commercial models, supplier risk, cybersecurity and data privacy.
• fluent in German and English. Spanish is a plus.

Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances and flavors, cosmetic active ingredients as well as functional ingredients. Its customers include perfume, cosmetics, food and beverage manufacturers, the pharmaceutical industry and producers of dietary supplements and pet food.

With sales of around €4.9 billion in the 2025 financial year, the company is one of the world’s leading providers. The Group, headquartered in Holzminden, Germany, has more than 100 locations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, the USA and Latin America.

Together with its customers, Symrise develops new ideas and market-ready concepts for products that form an indispensable part of everyday life. Economic success and corporate responsibility are inextricably linked.