Life Unlimited. At Smith+Nephew we design and manufacture technology that takes the limits off living. Join Smith+Nephew's Global Indirect Procurement organization as the Senior Director, Global Category Lead for Marketing, where you will shape and execute procurement strategies that directly accelerate our commercial and brand ambitions. You will serve as the strategic thought partner to senior Commercial, Marketing, and Medical Education leaders across regions and business unites - optimizing third-party spend, driving supplier innovation, and ensuring effective stewardship of company resources. This role owns a global portfolio that includes marketing services, meetings & events, agencies, digital marketing, and medical education. You will lead the development of long-term category strategies, cultivate high-value supplier partnerships, mitigate risk, and deliver measurable impact across savings, innovation, and performance. You will also lead a high-performing team responsible for delivering world-class procurement outcomes.
What will you be doing?
Strategic Business Partnering
- Build strong, trust-based partnerships with Commercial, Marketing, and Medical Education leaders across franchises and regions.
- Develop a deep understanding of brand, customer, and commercial priorities to shape procurement strategies that enable business outcomes.
- Drive resource optimization by balancing spend efficiency with investment in growth-critical marketing initiatives.
Category Strategy Leadership
- Integrate business needs, market intelligence, supplier capabilities, and emerging trends to craft mid- and long-term global category strategies.
- Align and collaborate across regional and local procurement teams to ensure consistent execution and adoption of category strategies.
- Identify future capabilities, innovation opportunities, and digital trends that can enhance S+N's commercial performance.
Supplier Engagement & Performance Management
- Own executive-level relationships with strategic marketing agencies and key suppliers.
- Apply robust Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) frameworks to deliver performance, innovation, and value creation.
- Proactively manage supplier risk, including compliance, data privacy, sustainability, and operational resiliency.
Contracting, Negotiation & Compliance
- Lead high-value, multi-country negotiations and contracting efforts leveraging strong commercial and legal acumen.
- Ensure all contracts maximize value, manage risk, and comply with global procurement and ethical standards.
- Partner with Legal, Finance, Compliance, and Commercial Excellence to uphold governance requirements.
People Leadership
- Lead, mentor, and develop a global team of procurement professionals.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Build organizational capability in marketing procurement, supplier management, and digital buying practices.
Digital Enablement & Process Innovation
- Champion the adoption of digital procurement tools, AI-enabled workflows, and advanced buying channels.
- Drive simplification, automation, and user-friendly processes that improve stakeholder experience while optimizing spend and supplier risk.
- Partner with technology and process teams to shape the next wave of digital procurement evolution within Smith+Nephew.
What will you need to be successful?
- Bachelor's degree required.
- 15+ years of procurement or relevant business experience with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
- Experience leading and developing global or matrixed teams with direct people management experience leading a team of indirect procurement professionals.
- Proficiency in English (written and oral).
Preferred Capabilities:
- Deep procurement expertise in marketing services, agencies, meetings & events, digital marketing, and medical education, ideally in healthcare, life sciences, or regulated sectors.
- Demonstrated success developing and executing global category strategies aligned to business strategy.
- Strong commercial acumen with proven experience in contracting, complex negotiations, and managing high-value global suppliers.
- Advanced analytical, financial modeling, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to anticipate and mitigate risks, forecast spend and savings, and support strategy execution.
- Experience working within a global, matrixed organization with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
- Exceptional communication, influencing, and stakeholder-engagement skills.
- Track record of building and growing high-performing, diverse teams.
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment with continuous transformation and innovation.
You Unlimited.
- The anticipated base compensation range for this position is $175,250 - $287,938 USD annually. The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, and geographic location. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate. In addition to base pay, we offer competitive bonus and benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k), tuition reimbursement, medical leave programs, parental leave, generous PTO, paid company holidays, 8 hours of volunteer time annually, and a variety of wellness offerings such as EAP.
- Inclusion + Belonging: Committed to Welcoming, Celebrating and Thriving. Learn more about our Employee Inclusion Groups on our website https://www.smith-nephew.com/
- Your Future: 401k Matching Program, 401k Plus Program, Discounted Stock Options, Tuition Reimbursement
- Work/Life Balance: Flexible Personal/Vacation Time Off, Paid Holidays, Flex Holidays, Paid Community Service Day
- Your Wellbeing: Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account (Employer Contribution of $500+ annually), Employee Assistance Program, Parental Leave, Fertility and Adoption Assistance Program
- Flexibility: Hybrid Work Model (For most professional roles)
- Training: Hands-On, Team-Customized, Mentorship
- Extra Perks: Discounts on fitness clubs, travel and more!
Smith+Nephew provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.
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