Career Opportunities: Regional Buyer (5668)
Requisition ID 5668 - Posted 06/05/2026 - Pricing, Procurement & Sustainability - Directs - Directs, Regional Directs - Kaukauna Central office - Posting Country (1)
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You have a choice of where you want to work! We invite you along on our journey to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. We aim to attract, retain, and energize passionate people, like you, by investing in your professional development and providing opportunities for personal growth.
Do your values align with ours? Accountability, Growth mindset, One team, Care and a fair and inclusive work environment for everyone, everywhere!
We strive to meet the highest standards of corporate citizenship by protecting the health and safety of our team, safeguarding the environment, and creating a long-lasting, positive impact on the communities where we do business. Are you with us?!?
The regional category manager''s main purpose is to procure direct materials (fibers, chemicals, packaging) in a way that continuously improves supply quality, service, availability, risk, and total cost management.
The mission is fulfilled by:
Main Responsibilities
Develop and implement a coherent approach for the regional spend under responsibility
Support Head of Procurement to create transparency on the regional spend and to decide on the best strategy to address it using fact-based analysis
Translate the strategy into an actionable set of initiatives for the region, involving the right balance of category management and mass tendering approach
Lead and implement cost reduction initiatives and monitor performance
Oversee all RFx events, including mass tender, launched in the region
Lead RFx and mass tender planning and execution, involving relevant stakeholders from the regional sites
Lead supplier negotiations and simple contract execution using Ahlstrom templates
Communicate RFx and negotiation outcomes to plant stakeholders, as well as procurement business partners, category managers, and procurement leaders.
Lead the supplier relationship management process
Responsible for managing the overall business relationship with suppliers and distributors
Monitor supplier performance and define supplier development plans to address gaps when appropriate
Manage category performance and deliver yearly P&L impact
Responsible for reporting and updating procurement performance in accordance with the Group saving convention
Track actual procurement performance vs target, and remove roadblocks to meet business targets
Communicate performance to line manager and stakeholders
Monitor market category trends within the region and report with procurement forecasts built into budgets and the annual plan
Define risk management approach for the spend in scope
Evaluate and manage supplier risk according to the established risk management framework
Identify, lead risk mitigation actions, and monitor progress of implementation
Actively contribute to the development of the Direct Procurement organization
Actively contribute to the journey toward Procurement Excellence
Actively support process improvement and digitalization efforts of the organization
Qualifications
Ahlstrom is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal opportunity is a sound and just concept to which we are firmly bound. Ahlstrom will not engage in discrimination against, or harassment of, any person employed or seeking employment with our company based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, non-disqualifying disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law.
About Us.
Ahlstrom is a global leader in combining fibers into sustainable specialty materials. Our purpose is to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. We aim to be the Preferred Sustainable Specialty Materials Company for all our stakeholders. Our Filtration and Life Sciences, Food and Consumer Packaging, and Protective Materials segments, along with the Performance Materials Cluster, address global trends with safe and sustainable solutions. Our net sales in 2025 amounted to EUR 2.9 billion and we employ some 7,000 people.
Read more at www.ahlstrom.com.
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You have a choice of where you want to work! We invite you along on our journey to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. We aim to attract, retain, and energize passionate people, like you, by investing in your professional development and providing opportunities for personal growth.
Do your values align with ours? Accountability, Growth mindset, One team, Care and a fair and inclusive work environment for everyone, everywhere!
We strive to meet the highest standards of corporate citizenship by protecting the health and safety of our team, safeguarding the environment, and creating a long-lasting, positive impact on the communities where we do business. Are you with us?!?
The regional category manager''s main purpose is to procure direct materials (fibers, chemicals, packaging) in a way that continuously improves supply quality, service, availability, risk, and total cost management.
The mission is fulfilled by:
Main Responsibilities
Develop and implement a coherent approach for the regional spend under responsibility
Support Head of Procurement to create transparency on the regional spend and to decide on the best strategy to address it using fact-based analysis
Translate the strategy into an actionable set of initiatives for the region, involving the right balance of category management and mass tendering approach
Lead and implement cost reduction initiatives and monitor performance
Oversee all RFx events, including mass tender, launched in the region
Lead RFx and mass tender planning and execution, involving relevant stakeholders from the regional sites
Lead supplier negotiations and simple contract execution using Ahlstrom templates
Communicate RFx and negotiation outcomes to plant stakeholders, as well as procurement business partners, category managers, and procurement leaders.
Lead the supplier relationship management process
Responsible for managing the overall business relationship with suppliers and distributors
Monitor supplier performance and define supplier development plans to address gaps when appropriate
Manage category performance and deliver yearly P&L impact
Responsible for reporting and updating procurement performance in accordance with the Group saving convention
Track actual procurement performance vs target, and remove roadblocks to meet business targets
Communicate performance to line manager and stakeholders
Monitor market category trends within the region and report with procurement forecasts built into budgets and the annual plan
Define risk management approach for the spend in scope
Evaluate and manage supplier risk according to the established risk management framework
Identify, lead risk mitigation actions, and monitor progress of implementation
Actively contribute to the development of the Direct Procurement organization
Actively contribute to the journey toward Procurement Excellence
Actively support process improvement and digitalization efforts of the organization
Qualifications
Ahlstrom is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal opportunity is a sound and just concept to which we are firmly bound. Ahlstrom will not engage in discrimination against, or harassment of, any person employed or seeking employment with our company based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, non-disqualifying disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law.
About Us.
Ahlstrom is a global leader in combining fibers into sustainable specialty materials. Our purpose is to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. We aim to be the Preferred Sustainable Specialty Materials Company for all our stakeholders. Our Filtration and Life Sciences, Food and Consumer Packaging, and Protective Materials segments, along with the Performance Materials Cluster, address global trends with safe and sustainable solutions. Our net sales in 2025 amounted to EUR 2.9 billion and we employ some 7,000 people.
Read more at www.ahlstrom.com.