Category Manager
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 16, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 15, 2026.
Founded in 1913 in Italy, the Prada Group was built on a tradition of excellence and with a vision of innovation. The Group, a world leader in the luxury sector, operates in more than 45 countries with the PRADA, Miu Miu, Versace, Church’s, Car Shoe and Luna Rossa brands, and has employees of over 100 nationalities.
Job Purpose
We are looking for a Category Manager to lead the strategic and operational management of indirect spend, with primary ownership of the Construction & Architecture and Logistics categories across multiple countries. You will drive value creation and cost optimization, act as a trusted business partner to internal stakeholders, and contribute to leading an international team through a structured, transparent, results-driven procurement process.
Within a centralized Procurement function that orchestrates a decentralized spend of €400M+ across 14,000+ suppliers, your mission is to scout the best the external market has to offer and bring it into the Group, while protecting the company from supplier-related risks.
Responsibilities
- Define and execute sourcing strategies for Construction & Architecture and Logistics, orchestrating a decentralized spend across countries and business units in alignment with the Group's indirect procurement strategy.
- Build deep knowledge of category markets and cost drivers; scout new suppliers and solutions; run benchmarking and TCO assessments; manage the full RFI/RFP/RFQ cycle through to negotiation and contracting.
- Build strong relationships with Business owners, aligning stakeholders on priorities, specifications and supplier selection, while ensuring that only qualified, reliable suppliers enter the Group's supply base.
- Lead procurement workstreams in post-acquisition integrations - supplier base rationalization, contract harmonization and cost synergies.
- Drive e-Sourcing, e-Procurement, contract management and spend analytics initiatives on Ivalua, including AI and workflow automation, while ensuring data quality and governance.
- Contribute to the annual budget and report results to senior management (savings, cost avoidance, compliance, supplier quality); contribute to building and managing a cross-regional team of 4+ people, with both direct and functional reporting lines.
Knowledge and Skills
Degree in Economics, Management Engineering, Supply Chain or a related field; CIPS, CPSM or PMP certification is a plus.
10+ years in Procurement / Strategic Sourcing with a strong focus on indirect spend, including solid expertise in Construction & Architecture and/or Logistics categories and their market dynamics.
Proven experience leading international teams in complex, matrix organizations and hands-on experience in post-merger integration projects.
Hands-on experience with Ivalua is mandatory; strong knowledge of spend analytics and P2P processes; advanced Excel and PowerPoint; familiarity with Microsoft Copilot or similar AI tools.
Fluent English; additional languages are a plus.
Strong leadership and influencing skills, analytical mindset and excellent communication with C-suite stakeholders; curious and proactive, with the ability to scan the market and identify new opportunities.
RAL: 80.000 - 90.000 Annual Salary Gross
#LI-LS1
Joining our Company means working in a creative and international environment, with teams of people motivated by curiosity and the quest for excellence. The engine of our success is the importance and value that we place on the talent and passion of our people leading to their own professional growth.
Prada Group promotes an inclusive work environment, ensuring equal opportunities for all candidates, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or other personal characteristics. We believe that diversity is a value and we are committed to build a fair and respectful workplace for all.