Corporate Category Manager EMEA

Daikin Europe NV (DENV) is a subsidiary of Daikin Industries Limited, a Japanese outstanding company and worldwide the biggest developer, producer and supplier of HVAC-R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) solutions, including heating pumps and cooling technology.

DENV is Daikin’s sales, R&D, and production headquarters for Europe, the Middle-East and Africa. The headquarter has Belgian offices in Brussels, Ghent and Ostend, as well as 8 production plants, 24 sales subsidiaries and offices and a whole network of independent distributors and dealers across the EMEA region.

Location: Flexible - Brussels, Gent or Ostend

Reports to: Central Purchasing Manager DENV

Budget Responsibility: + €100 million

Affiliates Covered: 24 across EMEA

Role Overview

We are looking for a motivated professional who is ready to grow into a strategic, results‑driven Corporate Category Manager EMEA – Indirect Spend.
In this role, you will drive and optimize indirect procurement across our 24 EMEA affiliates, ensuring that local needs remain aligned with broader corporate goals.
You will oversee spend categories such as marketing, facilities, utilities, professional services, travel, and more. This is a high‑impact role with the opportunity to shape and standardize EMEA‑wide processes, establish category playbooks, and build governance and best practices across affiliates.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement sourcing strategies for indirect spend categories across EMEA.
• Manage a total spend of €100M+, ensuring cost efficiency, quality, and compliance in the following categories:

1. 1. IT
   2. Marketing
   3. Professional Services
   4. Facilities
   5. Car Fleet

• Collaborate with local stakeholders to consolidate demand and leverage scale. Drive harmonization of local practices, standardize KPIs and reporting, and lead EMEA‑level category councils to align roadmaps.
• Lead supplier selection, negotiation, and contract management processes. Define sourcing frameworks and contracting templates to accelerate adoption across countries.
• Monitor supplier performance and drive continuous improvement initiatives. Set up a supplier performance management framework with quarterly business reviews, scorecards, and corrective action plans.
• Ensure compliance with internal procurement policies and external regulatory standards.
• Provide regular reporting and insights to senior management on spend performance and savings.
• Support sustainability and ESG objectives through responsible sourcing practices. Embed ESG criteria into sourcing events and supplier due diligence; partner with local teams to track scope and impact.

Qualifications & Experience

• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to manage and interpret large volumes of data.
• A pragmatic approach to problem‑solving and decision‑making.
• Genuine interest in the commercial aspects of procurement.
• Excellent networking and relationship‑building skills, particularly valuable in a newly created EMEA function.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a complex international environment.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Adaptability and willingness to learn and grow within the role.
• Proactive, self‑motivated, and results‑oriented mindset.

What We Offer

• A dynamic and international working environment.
• The opportunity to influence strategic procurement decisions across EMEA.
• A permanent employment contract.
• Extensive training and full support from the start.
• A competitive salary and a comprehensive package of extra‑legal benefits.

Daikin Europe is a subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd. and the leading provider of heating, cooling, ventilation, air purification, and refrigeration technology. The company designs, manufactures and brings to market a broad portfolio of equipment, as well as tailor-made solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). To date, Daikin EMEA has over 12 000 employees across more than 59 consolidated subsidiaries. It has 12 major manufacturing facilities based in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Austria, and the UK. Our aim is to drive sustainable and effective solutions, sparking a good climate for the generations to come. And all this can only be achieved because of our People. 

Good climate starts with people 
Our employees are the beating heart of our company. At Daikin, you get to work in a positive environment backed by trust, creativity and continuous improvement. Together, we create our top-quality solutions by empowering talented teams. You will get plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. We are deeply committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace culture that reflects the communities we serve. Good climate starts with people.