Global Category Manager (f/m/d) - Marketing (Paid Media, Agencies & Insights)

Job Description

We help the world run better
At SAP, we keep it simple: you bring your best to us, and we'll bring out the best in you. We're builders touching over 20 industries and 80% of global commerce, and we need your unique talents to help shape what's next. The work is challenging – but it matters. You'll find a place where you can be yourself, prioritize your wellbeing, and truly belong. What's in it for you? Constant learning, skill growth, great benefits, and a team that wants you to grow and succeed.

What you’ll build:

As the Global Category Manager (f/m/d) for Marketing (Media, Agencies & Insights) within Global Marketing Procurement, you will play a key role in shaping a broad and strategically critical portfolio of Marketing spend areas. With a truly global remit, you will lead high-complexity, cross-regional initiatives and define long-term sourcing and vendor strategies across Paid Media, Brand & Advertising, Demand Generation, Market Insights, Merchandise and Communications.

A core focus of this role is to take a truly integrated, end-to-end perspective across all Marketing categories - ensuring that sourcing strategies, vendor selection, and ways of working are aligned along the entire marketing value chain. You will be responsible for designing and evolving the right agency ecosystem, connecting strategic, creative, production, media, digital, and insights capabilities to enable seamless collaboration, stronger outcomes, and greater efficiency across the business.

You will own and drive the global category strategy—building a high-performing, future-ready agency landscape, establishing scalable sourcing approaches, and embedding governance structures that ensure transparency, consistency, and sustainable value delivery across all subcategories.

Working closely with senior Marketing stakeholders, you will position Procurement as a trusted strategic advisor - helping transform how marketing investments are planned, orchestrated, and optimized. You will bring a more integrated, insight-driven, and performance-oriented approach to managing external spend, enabling stronger business impact and measurable outcomes.

As a global connector, you will provide functional leadership to regional procurement teams, ensuring alignment with global priorities while enabling flexibility for regional needs. You will also champion the use of data, advanced analytics, and AI-enabled capabilities to enhance decision-making, increase visibility, and drive continuous innovation across the marketing ecosystem.

Strategic Leadership, Collaboration & Value Delivery:

• Define and execute the global Marketing category strategy across Paid Media, Brand & Advertising, Demand Generation, Market Insights, Merchandise and Communications in close collaboration with senior stakeholders - ensuring alignment across the full marketing value chain from strategy to execution and measurement

• Provide functional leadership and guidance to regional teams, fostering strong collaboration, capability development, and best‑practice sharing

• Identify, deliver, and track sustainable financial value and long‑term impact

Category Management & Procurement Excellence:

• Lead high-complexity global procurement initiatives across diverse Marketing categories, including high-value eRFX processes and strategic commercial and contractual negotiations.

• Design and implement integrated sourcing models connecting agencies, media buying, and insights providers

• Establish and oversee robust governance structures to drive alignment, transparency, and consistent, sustainable outcomes

• Harmonize Source-to-Pay, contracting, and vendor management processes across region

Digital Enablement & Insight‑Driven Performance:

• Leverage data, analytics, and digital tools—including AI —to enhance visibility, performance management, and category decision‑making

• Drive the implementation and adoption of media transparency tools, agency performance frameworks, and marketing effectiveness metrics

• Champion AI-enabled procurement and marketing optimization solutions

Vendor Strategy, Innovation & Responsible Sourcing:

• Develop and manage a high-performing global vendor ecosystem across agencies, media partners, and insights providers

• Oversee vendor performance across value, quality, and ESG dimensions

• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, regulatory requirements, and responsible sourcing standards

Sustainability (ESG) & Real-World Impact:

• Define and implement category ESG strategies, translating corporate targets into actionable procurement measures

• Identify and drive Real World Measures (e.g., CO₂ reduction, sustainable event formats, supplier transparency)

• Own ESG performance, including baseline definition and tracking with Controlling, Sustainability, and Audit

• Lead supplier ESG programs (engagement, capability building, performance improvement)

• Embed sustainability criteria into sourcing and supplier decisions to deliver measurable impact

What you bring:

Required experience & qualifications:

Experience & Expertise:

• 10+ years of strategic procurement experience, including the design and execution of complex sourcing strategies and high‑value, multi‑market negotiations.

• Strong background in Marketing Procurement with expertise in Media, Agencies, and/or Market Insights.

• Proven track record in developing and implementing global category strategies within complex, cross-functional multinational environments.

• Deep understanding of marketing ecosystems, including agency models, media buying structures, and performance-driven marketing.

• Demonstrated experience leading cross‑regional and cross

• functional collaboration, aligning diverse business priorities, and driving unified outcomes.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management:

• Strong leadership presence with excellent communication, advisory, and influencing skills.

• Ability to effectively engage, challenge, and align senior stakeholders across functions and geographies.

• Experience building and operationalizing governance structures and operating models that drive accountability, transparency, and sustainable results.

Digital, Analytical & Transformation Capabilities:

• Strong analytical mindset with proficiency in leveraging data, analytics, and digital tools to generate actionable insights and performance improvements.

• Experience implementing digital tools, automation, and AI-enabled solutions in procurement or marketing

• Interest in driving digital transformation and continuous improvement

Qualifications:

• University degree in Business, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Communications or a related field.

• Professional procurement certification (or equivalent practical experience).

• Fluency in English, both written and spoken; additional languages are a plus.

Skills that support success:

• Advanced stakeholder collaboration and clear communication skills

• Strategic thinking combined with hands-on execution capability

• Structured, analytical problem-solving approach

• Deep understanding of Marketing supply markets and value-drivers

• Experience working within or closely with marketing agencies, media partners, or consulting firms is a strong plus

• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional and international environments

• Learning agility and adaptability in fast-evolving marketing landscapes

At SAP, we appreciate:

• A balanced work environment that supports both career growth and personal well-being.

• Diverse perspectives and an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive.

• A collaborative spirit that drives innovation and continuous improvement.

Join our team and contribute to our exciting journey towards becoming a truly agile and strategic procurement organization. We welcome all candidates who bring a unique perspective and a drive to excel.

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Bring out your best
SAP innovations help more than four hundred thousand customers worldwide work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively. Originally known for leadership in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, SAP has evolved to become a market leader in end-to-end business application software and related services for database, analytics, intelligent technologies, and experience management. As a cloud company with two hundred million users and more than one hundred thousand employees worldwide, we are purpose-driven and future-focused, with a highly collaborative team ethic and commitment to personal development. Whether connecting global industries, people, or platforms, we help ensure every challenge gets the solution it deserves. At SAP, you can bring out your best.

We win with inclusion
SAP’s culture of inclusion, focus on health and well-being, and flexible working models help ensure that everyone – regardless of background – feels included and can run at their best. At SAP, we believe we are made stronger by the unique capabilities and qualities that each person brings to our company, and we invest in our employees to inspire confidence and help everyone realize their full potential. We ultimately believe in unleashing all talent and creating a better world.

SAP is committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provides accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with SAP and are in need of accommodation or special assistance to navigate our website or to complete your application, please send an e-mail with your request to Recruiting Operations Team: Careers@sap.com.

For SAP employees: Only permanent roles are eligible for the SAP Employee Referral Program, according to the eligibility rules set in the SAP Referral Policy. Specific conditions may apply for roles in Vocational Training.

AI Usage in the Recruitment Process

For information on the responsible use of AI in our recruitment process, please refer to our Guidelines for Ethical Usage of AI in the Recruiting Process.

Please note that any violation of these guidelines may result in disqualification from the hiring process.

Requisition ID: 448650 | Work Area: Finance | Expected Travel: 0 - 10% | Career Status: Professional | Employment Type: Regular Full Time | Additional Locations: #LI-Hybrid

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