Senior Category Manager (English, Japanese)

In the Google Procurement Organization (GPO), our aim is to unlock value for Google to reinvest in what matters most. We do this by bringing velocity, efficiency, and security to buying at Google, while partnering deeply across Google to deliver solutions fit for purpose. As a centralized organization operating in a high complexity environment, we bring "one voice" to stakeholders and suppliers to ensure the best outcomes. Our organization fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation while providing opportunities for ongoing career growth and development.

Within the Google Procurement Organization, the Category Management team partners closely with key stakeholders to help shape and implement procurement strategies. This team is responsible for developing and driving holistic category strategies, managing stakeholder relationships, and bringing excellence to Google-wide sourcing, supplier, and contract management.
In this role, you will serve as a trusted advisor to different product areas and functions within the regions, working collaboratively to ensure that GPO strategies and activities are aligned with the specific needs and objectives of each region to drive efficiency, effectiveness, and value across Google. The Global Business Organization (GBO) is the engine that powers Google’s full ecosystem of products and services to help customers and partners succeed and grow. GBO includes the commercial arms of Ads sellers, business development teams, and customer services and support, as well as overlay programs that enable coordinated engagement with Google's most complex and important customers and partners.

Minimum qualifications:

- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, Finance, Business, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

- 10 years of experience in procurement, leading strategy development, execution and sourcing, or a related function.

- Ability to communicate in English and Japanese fluently with internal and external stakeholders including partners/clients.

Preferred qualifications:

- Experience in developing and managing key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure category performance and track progress towards strategic goals.

- Proficiency in analyzing procurement data, generating reports, and providing insights to support decision-making and performance evaluation within the category.

- Proven ability to identify opportunities for process improvements, efficiency gains, and innovation within procurement activities and drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance category management practices.

- Strong project management skills, with the ability to lead strategic projects or initiatives aimed at improving procurement processes, implementing new strategies, or driving innovation within the category.

- Act as the strategic regional business partner to the marketing executive team in the region, aligning procurement priorities with marketing stakeholder goals, market needs, and regional growth vectors.

- Lead an AI-first mentality in the transformation of the procurement practice area, replacing fragmented manual processes with structured AI operationalization, clean data taxonomies, and scalable digital workflows.

- Oversee the local alignment and execution of global procurement strategies, translating Global Procurement Organization (GPO) frameworks and category playbooks into impactful regional actions. Be the regional strategy leader, directing tactical buying, regional sourcing operations, and compliance across APAC for Media, Creative, Social, etc.

- Maintain relationships with suppliers to ensure quality service delivery and alignment with organizational objectives, shifting focus from short-term price hammering to long-term strategic value.

- Analyze spending patterns and market trends, and identify value opportunities within the category.