Associate Category Lead/Category Lead

Join us for an exciting career opportunity within Corporate Procurement as Associate Category Lead/Category Lead at a time when procurement excellence is prominent on the corporate agenda. This is an opportunity to be part of driving our ambition to be the best procurement function in the global pharma industry.

Your new role

As Associate Category Lead/Category in our Corporate Procurement Clinical Services team, you will lead and support strategic category management projects and execute sourcing activities for indirect Research & Development spend. You will conduct relevant change management activities to ensure that your results are anchored in the organisation.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Driving category management within certain categories in our development organisation
• Managing needs and expectations of your stakeholders to drive satisfaction while ensuring compliance to procurement standards and alignment with procurement strategies
• Working closely with your colleagues and key stakeholders to identify cost opportunities as well as driving procurement best practice, category management, and negotiations
• Managing the sourcing process and driving large supplier contract negotiations in collaboration with Research & Development stakeholders at all levels
• Frequent presentations to and interactions with senior management should be expected

Your new department

Corporate Procurement is responsible for indirect spend in Novo Nordisk and for defining and driving our global procurement strategy. Our team of more than 140 employees in Denmark and India, plus 400 procurement professionals globally, promotes a global mindset, dedication to business partnering, and a relentless focus on creating rewarding careers.

The Clinical Services team sits within Corporate Procurement and drives global procurement activities across the full Research & Development value chain. You will work in a fast-paced, dynamic, and highly collaborative team.

Your skills & qualifications

We're looking for a procurement professional ready for the next step in their career – someone motivated by developing and driving new high potential sourcing projects. You'll bring with you:

• A master’s degree in business administration, finance, supply chain management, or similar
• Minimum 5 years of procurement experience within clinical development (e.g., pharmaceutical industry, biotech, Contract Research Organizations) – this is strongly preferred
• Proven stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and impact key stakeholders at all levels, including senior and top management
• A self-driven approach that creates results by motivating customers, colleagues, and project teams
• Strong analytical capabilities combined with an international mindset, ideally gained from working in a global organisation
• Skills to drive change management in a diverse customer and stakeholder landscape, working proactively to embed new ways of working
• Curiosity and genuine interest in understanding the value chain in a large, complex organisation
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with comfort presenting to and partnering with senior and top management

Working at Novo Nordisk

Every day we seek the solutions that defeat serious chronic diseases. To do this, we approach our work with determination, constant curiosity and a commitment to finding better ways forward. For over 100 years, this dedication has driven us to build a company focused on lasting change for long-term health. One where diverse thinking, shared purpose and mutual respect come together to create extraordinary results.

In Corporate Procurement, you'll see firsthand how your work enables innovation across our Research & Development organisation. When you join us, you're not just starting a job – you're becoming part of a story that spans generations.

Deadline

The application deadline is the 22nd of March 2026.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and preventing diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.