Global Category Manager - Direct Procurement

The Role

Fisher \& Paykel is one of the world's most respected luxury appliance brands - designed and engineered in New Zealand, sold in over 50 countries, and backed by the global scale of the Haier Group. Our Global Direct Procurement team is not a back-office function. We are a commercial engine - managing NZ$250M of direct material spend across a complex, globally distributed supply base and we directly shape the cost, resilience, and long-term competitiveness of our products.

About the Role \| Auckland or Dunedin

This is one of the most commercially significant procurement roles in the New Zealand market — and it is genuinely rare.

You are a strategic, commercially astute, entrepreneurial leader who understands how product design, end-to-end supply chain, quality and manufacturing all intersect — and the critical role procurement plays in that ecosystem. You combine strong commercial acumen with exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, and you have a natural ability to lead and deliver value in a global context.

The Global Category Manager is a senior role, where you will own a portfolio of high-value direct material categories — working closely with Product Development, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Factory Operations and Finance teams around the globe to design and execute category strategies and build supplier partnerships that deliver real competitive advantage.

This role provides a credible pathway to senior leadership roles within the Supply Chain and Procurement organisation.

What You Will Own

Category Strategy and Planning

• Build and own 3–5 year category strategies grounded in market intelligence, total cost of ownership, and product roadmap alignment — translating insights into strategic direction and tangible sourcing outcomes

Commercial Leadership and Value Creation

• Lead complex supplier negotiations, deliver cost out and cost avoidance at a strategic level, and drive synergy opportunities across the Haier Group — defending and recovering the cost position across volatile commodity markets
• Own the cross-functional alignment of category strategy into action — building business cases, aligning stakeholders, and leading initiatives through to delivery

Supplier and Stakeholder Leadership

• Own the full commercial supplier relationship — from qualification and contracting through to performance management and co-innovation with key partners globally
• Act as the primary procurement interface for senior internal stakeholders — influencing decisions at the right level and at the right time
• Coach and mentor emerging procurement talent — helping build the next generation of leaders while continuing your own growth

What You Will Bring

The person we need is defined more by who they are than the specific categories they have managed.

• A commercial leader first — you think like a business owner, act with urgency, and bring entrepreneurial instinct to every category and supplier relationship you touch
• Senior and credible — already operating at senior category manager or equivalent commercial leadership level, comfortable with demanding supplier counterparts and executive stakeholders
• Structured and delivery-focused — you hold a complex workload, manage competing priorities, and are known for your follow-through. When you say something will be done, it gets done
• A proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional, high-value work and delivering measurable results in a global manufacturing or direct materials environment
• Strong business and commercial acumen — cost and value analysis, negotiation, contracts, and the ability to translate data into clear strategic direction
• Exceptional stakeholder management, influencing and communication skills — particularly when presenting plans and business cases to senior leadership and executives

Advantageous — not essential

• Experience managing supplier relationships across Asia — with an understanding of the cultural, commercial, and operational dynamics of working with supply chains across China and South East Asia
• Mandarin language capability
• Experience in electronics, PCBA, or technology-linked direct material categories

Why This Role

The scale is real. You will manage meaningful spend across a globally distributed supply base — with direct commercial impact on a brand that is growing fast and competing at the highest level of the luxury appliance market.

The platform is exceptional. Backed by the Haier Group — the world's largest appliance manufacturer — you will have access to Group-scale purchasing leverage, a global sourcing network, and joint negotiation opportunities that few procurement professionals in New Zealand will ever experience.

The work is hard and interesting. You will have the autonomy to build your own strategies, make your own calls, and be measured on real outcomes — in a genuinely complex and commercially demanding environment.

What We Offer

Along with a competitive salary, flexible working, and excellent growth and progression opportunities, as a valued member of our team you will enjoy generous discounts on Fisher \& Paykel and Haier products, life and disability insurance, discounted medical cover, access to our superannuation scheme, our subsidised staff café, and free car parking when on-site.

How to Apply

Please apply with your CV and a brief cover note telling us specifically what you have built, what you have delivered, and why this opportunity is the right next step for you.

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Fisher \& Paykel is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or other characteristics protected by law.