EMEA Lead Category Manager H/F Colas France

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Category Lead EMEA&S is responsible for defining and implementing strategic category management across the EMEA&S region. They will coordinate with country procurement teams, support local strategies, and drive cross-country synergies. This role plays a central part in optimizing procurement performance, ensuring supply continuity, and delivering sustainable value through strategic sourcing, supplier management, and operational excellence.

Scope : Total external spend € 2.3B with target to manage 50% by 2027 through professional category management. EMEA&S scope includes 23 countries.

The Category Lead - EMEA&S will report to the Procurement Director EMEA&S, ensuring alignment between regional operational needs and overarching procurement strategy, and will be a member of the Procurement Management Committee EMEA&S.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Category Strategy & Implementation

• Develop and implement long-term sourcing strategies aligned with Colas' business needs across EMEA & S.
• Establish the common expenses across countries.
• Deploy Group framework agreements and implements EMEA&S framework contracts.
• Define category roadmaps and lead deployment with country procurement teams.
• Identify synergies, standardization, cross-country and cross Group entities opportunities to improve cost-efficiency and performance.
• Support countries in implementing professional category management approach through adapted organisation, method, governance.

Supplier & Stakeholder Management

• Lead relationships with strategic suppliers to ensure quality, delivery, and innovation.
• Monitor supplier performance and mitigate supply risks through structured action plans.
• Act as the primary liaison between central procurement and EMEA countries.
• Support internal stakeholders (operations, finance, sustainability) in aligning procurement goals with business priorities.

Operational Excellence & Compliance

• Conduct spends analysis, market intelligence, and cost modelling to inform decisions.
• Negotiate and manage contracts, ensuring appropriate risk protection and commercial terms.
• Drive sustainability initiatives (carbon reduction, circular economy, CSR compliance).
• Contribute to internal reporting, KPI monitoring, and procurement governance tools.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• Education: Master's degree in Engineering, Procurement, Business, or Construction-related field.
• Experience: 10 -15 years of strategic sourcing or category management experience, ideally in construction, industrial equipment, or technical contracting sectors.
• Proven track record in developing and implementing category strategies across multiple geographies.
• Strong negotiation, supplier management, and cross-functional and matricial collaboration skills.
• Solid knowledge of procurement tools and data analysis (e.g., spend analysis, ERP, e-sourcing).
• Experience managing supplier risk and sustainability/CSR initiatives.
• Fluent in English and French.
• Willingness to travel across the EMEA region (approx. 20-30%).

The position is based in Paris, France