Driven by the passion to improve quality of people’s lives, WS Audiology continues to grow as a market leader in the hearing aid industry. With our commitment to increase penetration in an underserved hearing care market, we want to accelerate our business transformation in order to reach more people, more effectively.

We are now recruiting for a talented Packaging Sr. Category Specialist to work on related global category assignments and projects, together with Procurement’s global team members and colleagues.

What you will do

This role will report directly to the Global Category Manager for Packaging and is responsible for maximizing costs and driving efficiencies for all packaging category globally, while improving and maintaining the highest levels of customer service, building relationships with suppliers and stakeholders.

•  Assist in developing strategies and solutions within the Packaging Category to achieve efficiencies and costs effectiveness.
• Participate in projects that drive productivity across the organization, focalizing in Global and Regional Packaging Solutions.
• Support Packaging Global Contract negotiations with vendors on a global scale while complying with regional requirements.
• Assist in development and execution of new agreements and contracts with suppliers.
• Accountable for measuring Packaging vendors performance, cost savings versus targets,
  service level and total cost. 
• Sourcing and analysing packaging solutions, to align demand with suppliers’ capacity.
• Driving projects from inception to actual deployment, overseeing proper procedures are followed for approval of new materials/product development.
• Interacting with cross functional teams to manage projects, facilitate implementation of packaging solutions and increase awareness of key strategic requirements for the category, such as sustainability and localization.
• Support local teams in different sites on packaging projects and activities with local vendors
  to ensure compliance with specifications, deliveries and other key requirements.

What you bring

The successful candidate will be an experienced Procurement Professional with international expertise in sourcing packaging solutions, leading projects, identifying cost savings initiatives and managing relevant spend. The successful candidate will be a change agent of change and be of relevant industry changes and further build on WS Audiology packaging competitive advantage. In terms of the performance and personal competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following:

• University Degree in Engineering, Business or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of Procurement experience in a multinational company, preferably medical devices.
• Proven track-record of delivering efficiencies and/or cost savings within relevant category.
• Experience working with packaging category/vendors desired.
• Analytical and data driven and use data to improve performance and spend management.
• Customer-oriented behavior and mindset
• Knowledge in packaging terminology – i.e. cardboard and flutes, folding cartons, IFU’s paper and finishings, etc.
• Prior experience in managing RFQ/RFP processes in cross functional settings.
• Proactive with ‘’hands in approach’’, self-starter – spotting opportunity and delivering results, a person that think big and out of the box
• Team player with excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills.
• Focus and ability to adhere to deadlines.
• Passion, initiative and result-oriented to drive continuous improvement with creativity and innovation.
• Ability to interact across the organization in a global cross-cultural setting.
• Strong communication skills.
• Strong competencies in Excel and PowerPoint. Power BI a plus.
• The corporate language is English, and you need to be fluent in English, both verbally and in writing.

Who we are

At WS Audiology, we provide innovative hearing aids and hearing health services.

Together with our 12,000 colleagues in 130 countries, we invite you to help unlock human potential by bringing back hearing for millions of people around the world.

With us, you will become part of a truly global company where we care for one another, welcome diversity and celebrate our successes.

Sounds wonderful? We can't wait to hear from you.

WS Audiology is an equal-opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive employee experience for all. Regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status we firmly believe that our work is at its best when everyone feels free to be their most authentic self.