Procurement Category Manager MRO - Viby J

Can you combine solid commercial acumen with a keen technical interest, and are you looking for a role with international responsibility and high impact?

If so, this is your opportunity to join Arla’s Procurement team and be part of our dynamic MRO Procurement function based at Arla Foods’ head office in Viby J, Denmark. You will be part of a diverse and global Procurement organization located across Denmark, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, UK, Poland, Dubai, Bahrain, Riyadh, and Hong Kong. On behalf of our global organization, we manage procurement activities covering an annual spend of ~4.3 billion EUR.

In this role, you will be part of the Procurement MRO team responsible for sourcing Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) categories across Arla’s ~60 production sites. You will have many opportunities to make a difference from both a commercial and process-oriented perspective. Expect a broad stakeholder landscape, complex negotiations, and exciting category management challenges – with strong support from your team.

How you will make an impact

We are looking for a Category Manager to lead procurement initiatives within CIP, detergents, raw chemicals, membranes, filtration, resin, and pumps. You will drive category strategies, optimize total cost of ownership, and ensure supply reliability, working closely with stakeholders and supplier partners across our global footprint.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• End-to-end procurement and category management for detergents and raw chemicals, membranes, filtration, resin, and pumps
• Lead contract negotiations and establish robust agreements to secure competitive and cost-effective solutions
• Drive sourcing initiatives and optimization projects to deliver measurable savings and efficiency improvements
• Implement supplier consolidation strategies to streamline the supply base and reduce complexity
• Build and manage strategic supplier relationships to improve performance, innovation, and risk management
• Engage and collaborate with stakeholders across engineering, operations, quality, and finance to align with business needs and ensure successful implementation

What will make you successful

With a master’s-level background and solid category management experience—ideally in MRO and/or Chemicals —you drive impact across complex technical spend. You navigate tough negotiations with persistence and a fact-based approach, turn data into actionable insights, and own the full process from strategy through contract execution and implementation. You collaborate effectively with stakeholders at all levels and communicate complex topics clearly in English, combining a structured way of working with resilience and flexibility.

• Solid procurement and category management experience, preferably within MRO or similar technical areas
• Strong, fact-based negotiation skills with persistence and patience
• Analytical rigor and attention to detail to convert data into decisions
• End-to-end process ownership from strategy to implementation
• Effective stakeholder management supported by a structured and collaborative mindset

What do we offer?

We’re committed to professional development and promoting from within. Our positive and collaborative culture will bring out the best in you. And you’ll join a market leader producing nutritious household-favorite brands in a way that creates value for our customers, the farmers who own us, and the wider world.