Junior Category Manager - Fibers & Paper

At Etex, our purpose is building better together. We are an international leader in sustainable construction, driven by a passion for excellence, but it's our people that are our top priority. We connect, collaborate, and champion the well-being of our employees, forming partnerships and pioneering change in our ever-evolving industry.

At Etex, we seek to make a meaningful impact in the lives of our customers and our communities. Are you looking for a company where you can learn, grow & lead? Join us as Junior Category Manager - Fibers & Paper and play a pivotal role in procurement strategy of Etex!
 

The Junior Category Manager – Fibers & Paper supports the Category Manager in driving Etex's category strategy for fiber-based raw materials, with primary focus on analytics, operational sourcing, business intelligence, and stakeholder coordination. The role provides meaningful contributions to cost competitiveness, supply continuity, supplier performance, innovation, and sustainability.

What You'll Do:

• Contribute to the strategy and support the deployment and continuous improvement of the Fibers & Paper category, standards, and implementation roadmap, assist with framework documentation, reporting, and cross-functional process tracking.
• Own and assist in tracking, reporting, and delivering savings, cost avoidance, and working capital improvements; provide data to support TCO optimization, design-to-cost opportunities, and cost benchmarking.
• Support the establishment of supplier panels and takes responsibility for certain supplier relationships, performance frameworks, KPIs, QBRs, and improvement actions with strategic suppliers.
• Prepare scorecards and analyze supplier performance across quality, cost, delivery, OTIF, claims, innovation, and ESG.
• Contribute to Procurement Risk Mapping and mitigation initiatives for all Fibers & Paper sub-categories; assist with substitution options, safety stock tracking, and crisis preparation.
• Collect relevant ESG, circularity, and sustainability data from suppliers.
• Support initiatives for certified pulp and paper sources, recycled content, and lower-carbon alternatives.
• Collaborate with R&D and business stakeholders to enable technical innovation, tracking and data analysis.
• Work closely with Finance, Operations, R&D, and local procurement teams to support alignment, collaboration, and operational delivery.
• Take ownership of meeting logistics, documentation, and communication.

What You'll Bring:

• Several years of experience in procurement or supply chain, ideally in raw materials or technical commodities.
• Strong analytical skills, SAP/ERP and Excel proficiency, attention to detail, and problem-solving mindset.
• Ability to work collaboratively, coordinate between teams, and assist with category-specific projects.
• Fluent English required, any additional appreciated.

 Why Join Us?

• We are named the world's #1 most trustworthy company in the construction sector by Newsweek and Statista in 2023! And one of the top companies to grow your career in Belgium in 2023 according to LinkedIn!
• Our culture – we connect & care about those around us. We nurture teamwork, communities, partnerships and new ways of working, placing the highest importance on the safety and working environment of our people.
• Our ‘Road to Sustainability 2030’ is our plan to help build a better, sustainable future. We work towards this vision by caring about our social and environmental impacts and developing innovative solutions
• We have a strong conviction that diversity of thinking helps us to deliver a strong and sustainable performance. It is also essential for us that everyone feels part of the team. In this spirit, we are committed to equal opportunities and zero tolerance towards discrimination
• Flexibility: For us, hybrid and flexible working is all about trust, and we want you to be able to do your best work.