At DS Smith, we create value by building innovative and sustainable supply chains. As Category Manager – Logistics Procurement (EAST EMEA), you will play a key role in shaping and delivering category strategies across all logistics spend in the EAST EMEA sub‑region, covering Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia

Reporting to the Head of Logistics Procurement, you will lead all logistics procurement activity in the region, managing an annual spend of approximately EUR 44 million You will operate as a strategic business partner to senior stakeholders and work closely with the Logistics Category Team and the Logistics Procurement Centre of Excellence.

Your mission is to deliver holistic value creation — cost, resilience, innovation, sustainability, and supplier performance — while ensuring DS Smith has a competitive and future‑ready logistics supply base.

What you will do

Category Strategy & Value Creation

• Develop and implement 1–3 year Logistics category strategies aligned with business goals, including growth, innovation, ESG (including Scope 3), and end‑to‑end supply chain objectives.

• Build and execute category roadmaps with short‑, medium‑, and long‑term initiatives, unlocking value across supply and demand levers.

• Apply strategic frameworks (e.g. Kraljic Matrix, Porter’s Five Forces) to understand market dynamics, cost drivers, and supplier positioning.

• Drive cross‑divisional synergies across Packaging, Paper, and Recycling.

Stakeholder & Business Partnering

• Act as a trusted business partner to Supply Chain, Operations, and senior regional leadership.

• Align stakeholders around procurement strategies in a matrix organization.

• Lead change management and communication to successfully implement new commercial solutions.

Market Intelligence & Risk Management

• Monitor logistics market trends, economic developments, and supplier capabilities to optimize sourcing timing and outcomes.

• Develop supplier strategies that anticipate and mitigate risks (e.g. capacity, financial stability, compliance, ESG, data security).

• Build benchmarking and index insights to forecast spend and support cost management.

Tendering & Contract Management

• Lead end‑to‑end tendering and sourcing activities, including complex, multi‑country negotiations.

• Partner with Legal and business stakeholders to develop robust framework and project contracts.

• Embed KPIs, service standards, and health & safety requirements into contracts.

• Ensure contracts are compliant, accessible, and effectively managed through contract management systems.

Supplier Performance & Relationship Management

• Manage and optimize the regional logistics supplier base using a defined segmentation model.

• Lead supplier performance reviews and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Ensure strong governance and “top‑to‑top” engagement with strategic suppliers.

What you bring

• Strong experience in logistics procurement, ideally across transport and/or warehousing services.

• Proven ability to lead category strategies, tenders, and complex negotiations end‑to‑end.

• Excellent stakeholder management skills with experience operating in a matrix organization.

• Solid understanding of logistics markets, cost drivers, and supplier risk.

• A data‑driven, structured mindset with a passion for value creation and sustainability.