Group Category Buyer – Indirect Materials & Services

SUMMARY:
Job Title: Group Category Buyer – Indirect Materials & Services
Department: Procurement
Location: Durban Head Office, KwaZulu-Natal
Employment Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 13 August 2026

About Us

Stratogo is a professional recruitment and workforce solutions company specializing in sourcing and placing top talent across various industries.
Our client, a leading FMCG manufacturing company, is seeking an experienced Group Category Buyer – Indirect Materials & Services to lead the strategic sourcing and procurement of indirect materials and services across multiple business units. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing category strategies, managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, driving cost optimisation, and ensuring procurement governance while partnering with key business stakeholders across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

- Develop and implement procurement category strategies for indirect materials and services.
- Drive strategic sourcing initiatives to reduce costs while maintaining quality, service levels, and supplier performance.
- Conduct market analysis to identify supplier trends, pricing opportunities, and procurement risks.
- Lead supplier selection, RFQ processes, tender evaluations, and contract negotiations.
- Establish and maintain strong supplier relationships while monitoring supplier performance against agreed KPIs and SLAs.
- Negotiate favourable commercial agreements, pricing structures, and contract terms.
- Develop supplier risk mitigation and contingency plans.
- Partner with Logistics, Facilities, Human Resources, Marketing, IT, Finance, and Legal teams to align procurement strategies with business objectives.
- Analyse procurement spend, supplier performance, and purchasing trends to identify savings opportunities.
- Optimise supplier agreements and payment terms to improve operational efficiency and working capital.
- Ensure compliance with procurement policies, governance frameworks, ethical sourcing principles, and responsible sourcing practices.
- Maintain accurate procurement documentation, supplier records, and contract management systems.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives across procurement processes and supplier performance.

Minimum Requirements

- Bachelor's Degree or National Diploma in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Business Management, or a related qualification.
- APICS or CIPS qualification will be advantageous.
- Minimum 10 years' procurement, category management, or buying experience within an FMCG or manufacturing environment.
- Minimum 5 years' experience managing indirect procurement categories, including Logistics, Clearing & Forwarding, Facilities, Marketing, Human Resources, and IT.
- Proven experience in strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, and contract management.
- Strong supplier relationship management and procurement governance experience.
- Knowledge of responsible sourcing, procurement compliance, and risk management.
- Experience working with ERP systems such as SAP, SYSPRO, Sage, Oracle, or similar.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills are essential.
- Power BI experience will be advantageous.

Skills & Competencies

- Strong commercial and strategic procurement acumen.
- Excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to manage multiple procurement projects simultaneously.
- Strong communication and presentation skills.
- High attention to detail with excellent governance and compliance awareness.
- Self-driven with the ability to work independently and collaboratively across multiple business units.

What is on Offer

- Competitive salary package.
- Opportunity to join a leading FMCG manufacturing organisation.
- Exposure to strategic procurement and supplier management initiatives.
- Career growth and professional development opportunities.

How to Apply

Send your CV to: Tasmim.Cassim@stratogo.com
Subject Line: Group Category Buyer – Indirect Materials & Services
Please note: Only applicants with FMCG or Manufacturing Procurement experience will be considered.
Note: If you do not receive a response within three weeks of submitting your application, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.

POSITION INFO:
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