Category Sourcing Specialist
Category Textile Products

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 Textiles is a dynamic workplace where we are purchasing and developing business and people in various textile materials 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. As a member of the category management team you will be ask to contribute actively for creation and execution of the category strategy and Action plans together with other members and have a strong focus on business and people development within the category a cross the globe.

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 Milen Boyadzhiev.

About the assignment:

• You will contribute to material and production competence from a total cost perspective and integration of Category opportunities in projects
• You will be responsible for securing 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
• You will be responsible to secure optimal global sourcing set-up for NEWs project
• You will be responsible to define most suitable development suppliers for specific NEWs projects in alignment with HFB
• You will secure the lowest total cost perspective in Business Contingency Planning
• You will secure the quality of the Category input into pricing process (Big run, Tertial runs)
• You will lead the Purchase Development Process and RFQs under agreed category frame work ,processes and standards.
-You will be active member of the Category management team with focus on business and people
-You will act as a link between Category-HFBs and support Category manager for Sourcing assignment creation and execution together with our HFBs partners.

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 industry and market specific conditions
• good knowledge of business development, supplier capabilities and insight in the textile 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 skills
• overall view with both operational and tactical thinking
• 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
• good in communication and work with people

As a person you are:
• highly motivated, decisive, analytical
• 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.

Please note will be interviewing continuously. So don't delay, please send us your application in English as until March 27th at the latest! If you have questions regarding the recruitment process please contact Kristyna Brabcova at +46 733 427 586

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”.