Global Category Manager - Marketing (For independent contractors)

We are looking for an experienced marketing procurement professional to provide continuity during a period of planned parent leave. You will take ownership of a portfolio focused primarily on digital marketing categories, with possible brand marketing projects covered on an ad-hoc basis, as well as managing supplier relationships and active procurement projects to ensure business-as-usual activity continues smoothly and key commitments remain on track.

This is a delivery-focused cover role. You will apply and maintain existing category strategies, lead priority sourcing and contracting activity, support marketing stakeholders, and manage supplier performance. You will also maintain clear documentation and handover materials for the returning colleague. The role is expected to cover spend areas within an overall portfolio of approximately €5M–€20M and sourcing projects typically valued at up to €5M, depending on the final scope of the assignment.

Key responsibilities: Category continuity and sourcing: manage day-to-day delivery of the assigned marketing procurement portfolio; maintain and execute existing category strategies, adapting priorities where business needs or market conditions change; lead selected sourcing projects from requirements gathering and market analysis through supplier recommendation, negotiation, and contract execution; ensure continuity across projects already in flight, including clear status tracking, risks, decisions, and next steps; identify practical opportunities for savings, cost avoidance, process efficiency, innovation, risk mitigation, and supplier collaboration.

Contract and supplier management: lead commercial negotiations and coordinate contract execution in line with Booking.com policies and approval requirements; manage supplier relationships across the assigned portfolio and act as an escalation point for commercial or delivery issues; define, monitor, and report on supplier KPIs and agreed service levels; support QBRs, supplier reviews, corrective actions, and renewal or extension decisions; maintain accurate contract, supplier, savings, and project documentation.

Stakeholder collaboration: partner with marketing stakeholders across functions and geographies as a trusted procurement advisor; translate business requirements into clear sourcing, commercial, and supplier-management plans; coordinate with Legal, Finance, Risk, Privacy, Procurement Operations, and other relevant teams; provide timely advice on sourcing routes, commercial options, supplier risks, and contracting requirements; build effective relationships quickly and operate confidently in a matrixed, international environment.

Transition and handover: complete a structured onboarding and knowledge-transfer process at the beginning of the assignment; maintain a live handover tracker covering active projects, key stakeholders, supplier contacts, deadlines, commercial positions, risks, and decisions; prepare concise handover materials before the end of the assignment, including recommendations for open items and any required follow-up; escalate material risks early and ensure that decisions and approvals are documented.

Knowledge and skills: Required: significant experience in procurement, category management, or strategic sourcing, ideally within digital marketing, app marketing, SEO, performance marketing, agency, or related services; experience managing sourcing projects, commercial negotiations, contracts, and strategic suppliers; strong stakeholder-management and influencing skills, with the ability to work across seniority levels, functions, and geographies; ability to take over an established portfolio quickly, prioritise effectively, and deliver with limited ramp-up time; strong commercial judgement, analytical capability, and attention to detail; experience with procurement and contract-management systems such as Coupa, Ariba, SAP, Ivalua, or equivalent, plus strong Excel and reporting skills; excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Preferred: experience in a global or multinational organisation with complex stakeholder networks; experience in marketing procurement categories such as digital marketing, SEO, content, performance, app marketing, etc; experience managing supplier performance, QBRs, KPIs, savings tracking, and structured handovers; relevant degree in procurement, supply chain, business administration, marketing, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

What success looks like: critical sourcing, contracting, renewals, and supplier-management activities continue without disruption; marketing stakeholders have a clear procurement point of contact and receive timely, practical advice; commercial value, compliance, risk, and supplier performance are actively managed across the assigned portfolio; active projects have clear owners, milestones, decisions, and escalation paths; the portfolio is returned or transitioned with a complete, usable handover and no avoidable loss of knowledge.