Global Category Manager for Meetings & Events

Job Title: Global Category Manager for Meetings & Events

Location:  Luton – Horizon

Salary: Competitive

Introduction to role

Are you ready to shape the future of sourcing and procurement? As a Global Category Manager for Meetings & Events, you'll develop and implement long-term sourcing strategies that align with corporate goals and maximize cost-effectiveness. You'll drive excellence and innovation in procurement processes. With a growth mindset and a knack for strategic thinking, you'll ensure our sourcing needs are met while fostering strong supplier relationships.

Accountabilities

• Category Strategy: Develop and execute the global category strategy aligned to business priorities and cost targets. Partner with the business and other procurement colleagues to input into the strategy. Advise on and drive procurement strategy ensuring procurement processes are in line with organizational objectives.

• Category Strategy Execution: Drive execution of the strategy through your own internal team and enabling partners to realise the value to the business.

• Sourcing & Contracting: Work with Procurement’s Sourcing and Contracting Team to deliver strategic sourcing initiatives, negotiations, and contract management. Act as a coach to upskill the sourcing and contracting team to build a pipeline for future category management roles. Act as overflow for sourcing and contracting requirements where needed.

• Supplier Management: Manage strategic supplier relationships and drive performance, innovation, and value delivery.

• Stakeholder Partnership: Partner with global and regional stakeholders to understand needs and ensure procurement solutions support business objectives. Lead, define, and gain approval of business needs and translate these needs into specific resource requirements. Develop senior-level contacts to resolve issues, optimize business performance, and develop future improvement opportunities.

• Value Delivery: Deliver savings, cost avoidance, sustainable supply chain and efficiency improvements across the category as well as other company and function values that arise. Ensure all required platforms for reporting are >99% accurate and up to date monthly.

• Market & Risk Management: Monitor market trends, supplier risk, and opportunities to strengthen the supply base.

• Governance & Compliance: Ensure procurement policies, processes, and governance frameworks are followed across the category. Ensure 100% adoption of all procurement tools.

• Analytics: Must be proficient in data analysis to be able to story tell through data to leadership.

• Plans, manages, and controls overall allocation of resources.

• Recruits, defines goals, sets, and manages performance standards for a multi-functional team able to deliver procurement projects to time, cost, and quality standards.

• Leads a multi-disciplinary team defining and achieving Procurement efficiency and work standards and associated procedures, to ensure the assets meet business needs and satisfy external regulators.

• Coaches and develops professional aspects of Procurement team members.

Essential Skills/Experience:

• Degree in business or other related area

• Strong experience in procurement category for Meetings & Events   

• Thorough knowledge of pharmaceutical industry

• Expertise in at least one area of Procurement and knowledge of several others

• Communication skills and ability to influence senior stakeholders

• Strong skills in navigating risk and ambiguous situations

Desirable Skills/Experience:

• Travel category experience

• COUPA

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

SO, WHAT’S NEXT?

We welcome your application no later than 22nd April 2026.

Where can I find out more?

Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/

Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/

Follow AstraZeneca on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/astrazeneca_careers/?hl=en

Ready to make a difference? Apply now to join our team!

Date Posted

09-Apr-2026

Closing Date

22-Apr-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.