Group Category Manager - Equipment & MRO

About BlueScope

BlueScope is a proudly Australian-founded company, now operating across 18 countries with a workforce exceeding 16,500 employees. Known for innovation, the company produces high-quality steel products and brands such as COLORBOND® steel, which are essential in a wide range of sectors including healthcare, infrastructure, sports facilities, and residential construction.

Role Overview

The Group Procurement division at BlueScope is undergoing a major transformation aimed at enhancing enterprise-wide capabilities, maximizing value on a large scale, and improving cross-business collaboration. This presents a unique opportunity for a Group Category Manager focused on Equipment & MRO to lead category management across a portfolio valued between AUD 1.0 to 1.4 billion. This role involves guiding category strategy development and implementation across various regions and manufacturing sectors to drive standardization, supplier performance, value realization, and supply chain robustness.

Responsibilities

• Formulate and implement comprehensive category strategies for MRO and equipment at the enterprise level.
• Steer strategic sourcing initiatives, supplier consolidation, and the establishment of contractual frameworks.
• Oversee a significant pipeline of value creation and ensure successful benefits realization.
• Enhance supplier relationship management with key suppliers to ensure strong partnerships.
• Collaborate with operational leaders to refine specifications, improve reliability, and optimize total cost of ownership.
• Define category governance structures including decision-making rights and operational model limits across different regions.
• Guide the development of category management capabilities and mentor specialist procurement team members.

Candidate Profile

Ideal candidates will have senior leadership experience in procurement or category management, specifically handling complex portfolios involving industrial, manufacturing, MRO, or equipment categories. They should exhibit strategic insight coupled with strong commercial awareness and have demonstrated success in generating measurable value through strategic sourcing, supplier management, and collaboration with key stakeholders across enterprises.

• Extensive experience managing MRO and/or equipment categories.
• Expertise in strategic sourcing, contract negotiation, and supplier management.
• Proven background in procurement transformation and driving category-based value delivery.
• Strong influencing skills to engage senior leadership across functions and geographic regions.
• Ability to balance commercial objectives with operational reliability and risk factors.

Additional Information - The BlueScope Advantage

Joining BlueScope offers the chance to make a meaningful difference both within the company and in the wider community by contributing to innovative products and solutions that shape the built environment. Employees benefit from continuous learning opportunities, a supportive culture with genuine care for colleagues, and a commitment to workplace safety, diversity, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility. BlueScope values workplace flexibility and embraces people of all backgrounds as part of its ongoing purpose to create strength and positively impact communities.