Traded Products Category Manager

Full Job Description

Metsä Wood

Metsä Wood is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of engineered wood products. We process valuable log wood into environmentally friendly products for construction and transport industry, which are both megatrend-driven businesses of the future. Our main products are Kerto® LVL, birch and spruce plywood and further processed sawn timber. Material-efficient wood products store carbon and play an important role in combating climate change.

In 2022, our sales totalled approximately EUR 0.7 billion, and we have around 1,550 employees. Metsä Wood is part of Metsä Group.

This recruitment is carried out anonymously.

We are looking for an experienced procurement profession to join our team as

Traded Products Category Manager

 to drive cross functional collaboration and support our long-range plan

Your role in the future Metsä

Working as part of the Procurement Department within Metsa Wood UK Ltd and reporting to the Procurement Director the successful candidate will be responsible for the purchasing of the Traded Products Category.

Managing an active spend of <£50,000,000, with approx. 50 active suppliers the Traded Products Category Manager will be responsible for supplier identification, sourcing, contracting and price negotiation of a wide range of  timber based products that are supporting the profitable sale to all customer segments within Metsa Wood UK.

The successful candidate will work closely with all business functions and in particular with colleagues from the Supply Chain and Commercial teams to ensure we achieve our profit and stock holding targets.

The role of Traded Products Category Manager sits on Metsa Wood UK’s Senior Leadership team, the Category Manager will provide outstanding leadership to the wider business and working closely with cross departmental colleagues support the effective delivery of our annual and long range plans.

What do you get to do?

• Identify the best available supply base to achieve our targets and objectives
• Effective and best value purchasing of timber based products to support our customer demand plans and ensuring a high level of OTIF
• All sourcing is competitive and always achieve the best available price whilst maintaining longer term strategic objectives
• Managing supplier relationships to ensure the best long-term outcome for Metsa Wood UK
• Lead the purchasing of our sub-contracting requirement
• Ensuring all purchasing is fully aligned to Metsa Wood UK Sustainability policies and targets
• To play a full and active role with our S&OP process
• Provide brilliant leadership within the category, department and wider business.
• To manage the sourcing and purchasing process so that it follows the Metsa Group Source-to-Sign and Request-to-Pay processes
• To provide market updates and reports to the wider business
• Increase the value of our supply base by identifying new supply opportunities and products that can support the businesses long range growth plans
• Manage and maintain product specifications for the Traded Products Category
• Support the responsible profitability of Metsa Wood UK by close collaboration with the sales, operations and finance departments
• Manage and resolve swiftly all vendor deviations and claims
• Ensuring wider Metsa Group procurement policies are fully adopted and followed
• Increasing contract coverage through the use of frame and vendor supply agreements
• Identify risks within the supply chain and develop plans to mitigate these risks

What are we looking for?

Experience

• A significant level of senior purchasing experience within a complimentary product category
• Experience of purchasing raw material for production but also finished goods.
• Global sourcing and supply chain management experience
• Managing multiple vendors and a significant number of SKU’s
• Contract negotiation and management
• Working within a highly sustainable environment where doing the right thing is never in doubt
• Negotiation of large and multifaceted supply contacts
• Experience of commodity purchasing and ensuring the “best market price” is achieved

Personal Attributes

• Personal and team leadership
• A growth mindset
• Enthusiastic with an excellent work ethic
• Always doing the right thing, not the easy thing
• Natural negotiator who is always looking for the “win-win” in all situations
• The ability to work to deadlines and under periods of pressure
• Ability to build long lasting and mutually beneficial supplier relationships
• Highly organised
• Strong numeric ability

Technical Experience

• Microsoft Office skills
• Strong understating of procurement methodologies
• Sustainability and how to improve within all parts of the supply chain
• Product standards and other regulatory requirements

Why Metsä?

The wood products industry is an export-driven growth business. With their work, Metsä Wood's professionals are responding to global demand for more sustainable solutions in various fields. Come to Metsä to build a future with renewable wood!

We offer an environment that is friendly, welcoming and supportive. We encourage everyone to be the best they can be, working together to achieve great results.

With us, you always have the support of your team. Your own desire and interest open doors to good career development. Metsä offers great opportunities to grow into being a top expert in your field.

• An attractive benefits package, including competitive salary , annual bonus , attractive pension scheme , and comprehensive death in service benefit.
• A company that understands the importance of a work-life balance. 25 days holiday plus bank holidays with various service-related increments
• You can count on our commitment to your growth and development . Training, mentoring and coaching tailored to each individual’s development needs
• Membership of the Me @ Metsa reward platform providing access to discounts and offers from 100’s of popular retailers
• Employee Assistance Programme , providing free and confidential support 24/7 including financial, legal and wellbeing support
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free On-site parking

Anonymous recruitment - how it works

This recruitment is carried out anonymously. Therefore, the following information will be hidden from the recruiters until the interview stage: name, date of birth, contact details, gender, mother tongue, dates of study and name of the educational institution. Attachments (CVs) are also hidden. HR recruiters have access to the applicants' contact details at the stage when they start inviting applicants for interviews.

Our recruiting system will guide you through the application process. You will be asked for personal data, but all the above mentioned information is hidden from the recruiters until the interview stage.

The application form includes questions to help you to present your skills and experience anonymously. Please reply to all questions to make your competences and skills visible. You can attach a CV to your application, but it is hidden at the initial stage of the recruitment process. If you are invited for an interview, recruiters will have access to your CV to support the interview.

Read more about our anonymous recruitment at

Can you imagine yourself having a career at Metsä? Find out!

Submit your application using the link "Apply". Do it as soon as possible, as we will start processing the applications already during the application period. Include your CV (and also tell us your salary expectations). We wish you luck!