Category Sourcing Specialist, Category Area Comfort
50 %Category Work Chairs and 50 % Category Upholstery Frames

Do you want to lead sourcing activities for a unique Category (industry) in a global environment? If yes, this might be the perfect challenge for you! At IKEA of Sweden we develop and make the IKEA range available to stores and customers all over the world. Within the responsibilities of IKEA of Sweden lies the development, sourcing, supply and steering of a unique, competitive and efficient range.

Category Area Comfort is a dynamic workplace where we are purchasing and developing business in for mixed materials for Work Chairs and Upholstery Frames from all over the globe.

As a Category Sourcing Specialist you will be working in a Category together with many Home Furnishing businesses (HFB) securing the material and production knowledge as well as setting up the optimal sourcing conditions. From that position you will lead and secure that all products within your area of responsibility are sourced with optimal global sourcing set-up. You will contribute with material and production knowledge in the product development process and ensure that material and choices of techniques related to cost, capacity, quality and sustainability are in-line with supplier production capabilities, as well as with product development process.

The position is located in Älmhult, Sweden but with a global responsibility. Älmhult has excellent commuting possibilities with hourly trains to Malmö, Lund and Växjö and an IKEA shuttle bus back and forth to Helsingborg two times a day.

In this role you will report to Category Manager Work Chairs, Per Håkansson

About the assignment

•Contribute with material and production competence from a Total cost perspective and integration of   Category opportunities in NEWs projects.
•Lead to secure optimal global sourcing set-up for Running range within the framework of the sourcing assignment and in alignment with HFB, including assessing sourcing risk and scenario planning.
•Responsible to secure optimal global sourcing set-up for NEWs.
•Responsible to define most suitable development suppliers for specific NEWs projects in alignment               with HFB.
•To Lead in Business Contingency Planning.
•Responsible to secure the quality of the category input into the pricing process (Big run, Tertial runs).
•Responsible for the input to HFB (Home Furnishing Business) Action plans
•Support the business team in creation of supplier Action plans and development projects.
•When needed lead he global projects in category or Category area dimension.
•Lead RFQs, category projects and Purchase Development Process when necessary.
•Being a Part of Category management group & responsible to contribute in Category Business Plan

To be a successful Category Sourcing Specialist we would like you to have:
• 3-5 years of experience in related field of work 
• university degree in technology, business administration or corresponding knowledge
• good knowledge of business development, supplier capabilities and insight in the Work Chair and/ or Upholstery industry is an advantage
• experience in supply chain with some basic finance knowledge
• leadership skills and it’s an advantage if you have project leader experience
• holistic view with both operational, tactical and strategic thinking in mind
• good knowledge of developing the product offer process
• deep knowledge of value chain and value chain analysis
• good knowledge of industry and market specific conditions
As a person you are:
• highly motivated, decisive, analytical
• independent and communicative
• strongly business minded
• able to foresee the consequences of one’s own actions and act based on high moral and ethical principles
• fluent in English, both spoken and written

If you have any questions about the position or the recruitment process, please contact recruitment specialist Kristyna Brabcova at +46 733427586.

Please note that we will be interviewing continuously. So don't delay, please send us your application in English as until March 2nd at the latest!

You will work in an environment where your ideas are heard, where there is opportunity to learn new skills and where the goal always is “to create a better everyday life for the many people”.

IKEA Range & Supply has the responsibility to develop, design, produce and supply the IKEA stores with home furnishing solutions available to the many people. Each year IKEA Range & Supply introduce 2 000 new products in the IKEA stores. The total range is almost 10 000 products.