Director Category Management - Metals (Procurement)

Category Director – Metals (Global)

Procurement | Upstream Producers / Mills

Board-Visible | Strategic Ownership | High COGS Impact

QLM Search is partnering with a long-established global CPG Group with strong market positions, consistent profitability, and clear momentum into 2026.

As Category Director for Metals, this is a board-visible opportunity to step into a pivotal global category leadership role, with end-to-end ownership of the metals procurement strategy at a time of sustained investment and strategic focus.

You will lead the global metals category across steel and aluminium, with direct influence over COGS, margin performance, cash flow, and supply resilience across a multi-billion-dollar organisation.

The Opportunity

• Full strategic ownership of the global metals procurement category, partnering closely with a broad manufacturing footprint
• Accountability for a significant nine-figure annual spend
• Define and execute global supplier strategy, commercial frameworks, and negotiations
• Proactively manage geopolitical, tariff, and supply-chain risk
• Act as a senior partner to Operations, Finance, and the Board to drive value creation and performance improvement

Why This Role

• Board-level visibility with genuine strategic influence
• Truly global remit spanning the Americas, Europe, and Asia
• Clear, measurable impact on margin, working capital, and risk management
• Stable, high-performing platform with a long-term investment horizon

Your Background

• Senior procurement or category leadership experience within CPG or complex industrial environments
• Deep expertise across metals or major raw material categories
• Direct upstream raw material experience working with metal mills and primary producers
• Strong commercial acumen with a proven track record of delivering financial outcomes at scale
• Comfortable operating at enterprise and board level, balancing strategy with execution

If you are considering your next step and are motivated by a strategic, global category leadership role with real board exposure, we would welcome a confidential conversation.