Category Manager
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Date: Dec 17, 2025
Location: Edenkoben, DE
Company: Tenneco
Tenneco is one of the world’s leading designer, manufacturers and marketers of automotive products for original equipment and aftermarket customers, with approximately 78.000 team members working at more than 300 sites worldwide. Through our four business groups, Motorparts, Ride Performance, Clean Air and Powertrain, Tenneco is driving advancements in global mobility by delivering technology solutions for diversified global markets, including light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway, industrial, motorsport and the aftermarket.
This position is responsible for leading value generation, sourcing, and profitability improvement initiatives to optimize indirect and corporate spend, executes effective procurement strategies, from initial identification of procurement needs for goods and services to sustaining results. Close interaction and coordination with internal partners and external suppliers is required. Success will be measured on spend addressed, savings achieved, and working capital impact. The central challenge of the position is to capture value from indirect spend categories while meeting key business objectives such as service, quality, timing, and security of supply. Assesses near-term and long term plans to establish that supplier priorities are balanced with business needs; consults with Sr. Management, and other subject matter experts to develop alternative solutions; advises on options, risks, total cost of ownership, and business impacts. The position may be based in any EMEA location, part of Tenneco Clean Air, Powertrain or Ignition Business Groups. Role reports directly to the Director of Indirect Materials & Services EMEA of the company.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Help to drive corporate indirect procurement and profit improvement, while delivering the following to the business:
Minimum Requirements
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in business, engineering, or related field. MBA or other advance degree preferred
Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, or similar roles.
Skills
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills (strong background in data collection & analysis is a must have) to drive fact-based decision making.
- In-depth experience with world-class strategic sourcing and category management practices, including e-Sourcing.
- Self-confidence and clarity of expression to lead discussions with internal executive audiences, and challenge current practices.
- Hands-on experience leading multi-regional or global initiatives.
- Proficient in relevant supply chain and business software, such as SAP and ERP programs.
- Experience managing indirect spend categories using multi-step strategic sourcing processes, especially Chemicals, Industrial Gases, MHE, MRO and equipment.
- Track record of managing change through influence; capable of driving major commercial decisions across a diverse set of internal stakeholders.
- Expert-level financial and analytical skills; embraces fact‐based decision making; naturally seeks to leverage and/or integrate market data, spend analytics, and cost modeling.
- Strong project management skills, including stakeholder, timeline, and meeting management skills.
- Strong negotiation skills; expert understanding of terms, conditions, and contracting techniques for managing risk.
- Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal and presentation skills; comfortable and credible with both internal stakeholders and external audiences.
- Able to work up, down, and across a large organization; connects at all levels, i.e., operations, management, executives.
- Ability to manage multiple projects at a time and often under tight timeframes
- A flexible, dynamic, self-demanding and proactive individual; able to motivate him/herself and others; easily accepts constructive input from others.
- Willing to travel up to 25% of the time for business purpose
An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
We are committed to the safety and health of our employees. We adhere to social distancing recommendations and other protocols, ensuring a safe work environment for all.
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