Client: Medtronic
Medtronic is the world’s leading developer and manufacturer of medical devices.
Discipline: Purchasing and Logistics
The Distribution Center in Heerlen is the logistical backbone of Medtronic Europe and the hub of the strategic purchasing organization for the EMEA & CEE region. FITz searched for a Category Manager Indirect Strategic Sourcing for Medtronic. This difficult position is linked to Global Sourcing in the US and to the regional headquarters in Switzerland. The primary task of the Category Manager is to create the ideal conditions for internal clients through benchmarking, supplier relationship management (SRM), negotiation and effective sourcing strategies.
Solution:
The strategy employed by the new Category Manager would greatly influence the course of the organization. Medtronic therefore needed someone to take over the entire commodity sourcing process. They needed a powerful negotiator capable of representing the interests of internal stakeholders in complex contracts. An entrepreneur, able to translate their strategic vision into added value and synergy for Medtronic. FITz was able to find the right candidate thanks to our extensive experience and long history with Medtronic. Not only did we understand their corporate culture, we also drew on a vast pool of purchasing candidates who are considered the very best in their field.
Success factor
For this assignment, we took a proactive approach and made excellent use of our network and our candidate pool. We introduced Medtronic to two candidates who met the growth potential and the difficult demands associated with this position. Our client preferred the candidate who was vacationing abroad during the selection procedure. To prevent the process from grinding to a halt, we employed creative communication methods to establish the right ‘click’ between the candidate and the client. Both Medtronic and the candidate are extremely pleased with our proactive role in this very special match.
