European Category Manager Workwear & Footwear at SBU Intersafe successfully fulfilled

Strategic position for an experienced value creator

In pursuit of the international growth strategy of Intersafe, we are searching an experienced European Category Manager who will largely contribute to adding value to the product categories Workwear & Footwear for Intersafe and its affiliates.

Beschreibung des Unternehmens

Intersafe Netherlands BV – part of the Lyreco Group – is the recognized leader in the field of personal protective equipment such as hearing protection, safety glasses, respiratory protection, workwear and footwear.

Next to delivering personal protective equipment we support our customers in their health & safety policy through training, consultancy and research. We distinguish ourselves in the market with customers in innovative ways, to find unique solutions for safety issues. This added value allows customers to see us as the partner for safe and healthy working conditions for both industrial and office workplaces. From its headquarters in Dordrecht Intersafe as the Safety Business Unit (SBU) within the Lyreco organization, supports all Lyreco subsidiaries in Europe in their journey to become the leading safety specialist. We invest in the growth and development of our staff, because we see them as the key success factor of our company.

Intersafe offers a wide and very diversified range of product categories to its customers. Next to recognized A-brands we also developed our own brand in PPE which we want to expand across Europe. To guarantee our high standards with regards to our product and solution offering, and as part of our growth strategy in Europe, we are now looking for a European Category Manager Workwear & Footwear to support us in this process. The purpose of this strategic position is to create value to the before mentioned categories and contribute to the overall profitability of the categories for Intersafe and its (European based) affiliates. The EU Category Manager will report directly to the Marketing Director within the SBU (strategic business unit).

Our values

Intersafe highly values an excellent fit on a value level between the company and the candidate and wishes future employees to be ambassador of these values. Hence, the following detailed outlined values of the organization:

Agility

We anticipate, innovate and adapt to change
We are curious to experiment and share our knowledge to develop the team
We take risks, make bold decisions and move ideas into action to better serve our people and our customers
We encourage each other in every part of the organization to develop new ideas and exploit them
We are entrepreneurial by constantly seeking new opportunities and ways to improve and succeed

Excellence

We strive for perfection in everything we do
We deliver high quality performance against objectives and accept responsibility
We show discipline and finish what we start
We set high standards and keep raising the bar with a positive can-do attitude
We execute with focus to drive for sustainable growth and development
We deliver on our promises for our people and our customers

Passion

We really care (for our customers, colleagues, partners and the environment)
We care for and respect our colleagues, customers, partners and the environment we live in
We act beyond our own tasks and responsibilities, we understand the bigger picture
We make time to have fun and celebrate our achievements
We are proud of our heritage and passionate about future possibilities
We are passionate about making a difference for Lyreco and our customers

Respect

We believe in trust, respect and ethical behavior to create a positive and professional environment for everyone
We are always open and honest, we stick to the truth
We act professionally and ethically
We are more focused on the interest of Lyreco and our customers than just our own or departmental interest
We work together in a culture of professional trust and transparency, feedback and continuous improvement
We do what is right for Lyreco, our customer, our team and our people

Jobbeschreibung

The description of this new position reads as follows:

The Category Manager plays an important role in ensuring Lyreco’s profitable sales growth.
The Category Manager builds and executes the category strategy that will ensure the achievement of sales and margin targets. He/she supports the SBU Marketing Director in the strategy definition.
The Category Manager works together with the SBU Purchasing Director on Supplier Management (prospection, selection, negotiation, contract, improvement plans, and potentially delisting).
The Category Manager is responsible to support subsidiaries.
The Category Manager, in collaboration with the SBU Marketing Director, defines the group product assortment.
The Category Manager Initiates and participates in (multi-disciplinary) projects.
The Category Manager is responsible for following up on EU regulation and normalization within the category, informing local marketing teams on developments.

Kandidat Profil

Hereunder the main accountabilities and responsibilities as well as competences have been set out in detail.

The main responsibilities of this position include – but may not be limited to -:

Support the strategy definition in collaboration with the SBU Marketing Director for his/her product category according to the overall Lyreco strategy to reach company sales and profitability targets.
Understand and analyze customers, market & product trends through both Lyreco sales figures and overall B2B market intelligence including the main international competitors’ activities.
Compiles the Group product range within defined product and target groups in such a way that the supply program continues to meet the market requirements, compliant and sustainable. Has contacts with suppliers for this purpose.
Creates conditions and circumstances for optimal market acceptance of the products in the market segment and ensures effective sales arguments and other support for the operational sales departments and promotional communications.
Develop learning programs/trainings in own product categories together with the Learning & Development department.
Supports the (commercial) departments at Intersafe business lines in Europe with product and market knowledge.
Makes proposals for pricing policy and promotional support.
Build and follow-up action plans aligned with the Category strategy to deliver expected results.
Together with the SBU Marketing Director and Safety Business line directors in Europe, draw up targets on estimates sales. Evaluates and adjusts within the relevant product and target groups.
The Category Manager has a good Supplier market knowledge and understanding in order to constantly prospect for new opportunities. Source and select the best suppliers fitting Lyreco’s requirements: Healthy financial status, well developed and managed sustainability policy, high level of logistics efficiency and service.
In collaboration with the SBU Purchasing Director and SBU Marketing Director, prepare, launch and manage tenders/ RFQ (request for quotes) when and if needed. Prepare and review tender documents in collaboration with the legal team and Purchasing team in order to reduce any risk Lyreco may have either in selecting new suppliers or in removing suppliers from Lyreco’s portfolio.
In collaboration with the SBU Purchasing Director and SBU Marketing Director, negotiate Prices as well as trading terms and conditions (Rebates, marketing funds, advertising, etc.). Timely manage the signature process of the Business Supply Agreement (BSA = Business Principle + Commercial Agreement) with Group suppliers in collaboration with the Group Legal department and Group Finance.
Ensure a competitive offer.
Challenge & optimize our group suppliers’ performance
Ensure a close follow up of actions.
Monitor the corrective action plans if any and measure their efficiency.

Group Product Assortment management
The Category Manager is responsible for the Group Assortment selection (new, continue, delist) in line with the Category strategy and customers’ needs. The Category Manager will present and defend the common range assortment to the subsidiaries.
The Category Manager is responsible for accepting or refusing exception requests made by subsidiaries on the common range.
The Category Manager will identify gaps in the offer and constantly look for new opportunities in products but also services.
The Category Manager, is responsible for correct information for the common range.
Support the Group Sustainability policy for the Group products and supplier selection by building a range of Green products and applying a sustainable purchasing policy.

Support Local marketing teams in the implementation of the strategy
Ensure that local and group strategies are coherent and aligned.
Regularly visit subsidiaries to follow up action plans.
Bring Category knowledge to the subsidiaries. This includes training toolkits on product categories, markets, cross-selling activities, etc.
Support the SBU Marketing Director in the organization of Category meetings with Local Product managers to share Group performance, Group Category Strategy, Supplier development, actions to drive Sales growth, organize workshops to help local teams to organize their plans and build their assortment. Discuss, get feedback and influence subsidiaries about new selection. Identify new growth opportunities. Share best practices amongst subsidiaries.
Work closely with subsidiaries identified as pilots in key projects.
Recommend the selling price positioning, margin expectation and communicate it to the local product managers through a category pricing memo.
Provide proper training material/knowledge for local marketing teams to be cascaded to sales force.

Participation in projects

Lead transversal project activities together with the Group Marketing Team.

Skills & Competences

This is an important role within the business and requires a candidate with the highest possible personal and professional standards. The successful candidate will ideally have some or all of the following skills:

Bachelor degree in commercial, purchasing or marketing field.
At least 5 years of relevant work experience.
Knowledge of and experience with modern automation systems.
Excellent knowledge of the English languages. Knowledge of French is an advantage.
Since this position is oriented towards the management of the relationship with all LYRECO countries, mobility of the individual is very important (travel mainly in Europe with occasional travel to Asia)

The main competences expected are:

Entrepreneurship
Market orientation
Customer focus
Networking
Analysis & Decision-making
Problem analysis
Judgement
Decision-making
Vision
Organizational Sensitivity
Awareness of environment
Persistence in challenging colleagues
Autonomous
Good communication skills
Be able to work in a multi-cultural environment

Was bieten wir ihnen

Apart from excellent remuneration benefits, this strategic job comes with more benefits Intersafe Lyreco has to offer you, like:

Established and successful name in the industry;
High quality products in an overall concept;
Challenging and independent position;
We have 27 days annual leave;
Travel allowance;
An excellent pension plan;
Possibilities for personal growth in a continuous changing environment;
Excellent benefits.

Prozedur

The whole procedure will take 3 rounds being the first one with Culture Fitter and two rounds of interviews with Intersafe. Personality analysis will be part of the procedure.

Contact

Please apply with a motivational letter or personal video and resume to: sander.bruinsma@culturefitter.com , info@culturefitter.com or reach us at telephone number 0031 (6) 53975352.