Global Procurement Category Lead - HR Services

Global Category Lead - Hr Services

The global category lead - hr services is a strategic "builder" role responsible for designing and executing the first comprehensive category strategies for hr services across the booking holdings brands (booking.com, agoda, priceline, kayak, and opentable). This role focuses on benefits, payroll, global mobility and recruiting, managing a global spend and delivering high-impact sourcing projects. You will drive cost reduction, increase supplier performance, and ensure integrity and compliance across a complex, multi-brand matrix.

category strategy & activities

• strategy development: develop and own the end-to-end category strategies for hr services (benefits, payroll, recruiting) with a focus on building frameworks from scratch.
• brand alignment: partner with global brands (e.g., agoda in thailand, priceline/kayak in the us) to ensure category initiatives align with specific brand objectives and regional nuances.
• strategic sourcing: lead complex, multiregional sourcing projects from requirements gathering through to contract execution.
• value creation: drive year-on-year cost savings and generate value beyond price through innovation, process efficiency, and risk mitigation.
• compliance & esg: embed data privacy, security, and esg (environmental, social, and governance) principles into all category plans and supplier selections.

contract & supplier management

• negotiation: negotiate complex global contracts independently, including pricing, performance-based models, and ip protection, based on strategies approved by the senior manager.
• supplier governance: establish and monitor kpis and scorecards for high-value hr service providers to ensure delivery quality and innovative output.
• escalation management: act as the first point of contact for vendor and procurement escalations from hr business stakeholders.

stakeholder collaboration & spend oversight

• strategic partnership: serve as the primary procurement advisor for people/hr teams globally, acting as a strategic partner to business leads.
• analytics: leverage spend data analysis and dashboards to report on kpis, category performance, and cost-reduction opportunities.
• best practices: establish and share procurement best practices with peers to contribute to overall team capability development.

qualifications & skills

• education: master's degree in procurement, supply chain, business administration, or finance (preferred), or equivalent work experience.
• experience: 5–8 years of experience in procurement or category management, with at least 3 years in a multinational environment.
• category expertise: demonstrated experience in sourcing hr services and managing complex stakeholder networks.
• system proficiency: advanced excel skills and experience with esourcing tools (e.g., coupa, sap, ivalua).
• builder mindset: self-directed and resourceful, with the ability to create structure in a "blank canvas" environment.
• influence: high stakeholder credibility with the ability to influence c-level or senior stakeholders across different cultures (europe, us, asia).
• agility: proactive and capable of working independently in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.