Category Lead, Technical Materials and Equipment

Are you looking for a career in an inspiring, global environment where your expertise makes a difference? At Neste, you will be working for the world’s leading producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, which enable our customers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

We are looking for you,

Category Lead

to our Technical Materials and Equipment Procurement team in Espoo or Porvoo, Finland.

Our team manages the strategic procurement of technical materials and equipment for our refineries globally. Depending on your background and interests you will be leading one of the global categories, for example Fixed Equipment, Piping Materials or Laboratory Equipment and Supplies. In this role you will work closely with functional stakeholders in Finland, the Netherlands and Singapore as well as your global supplier portfolio.

In our team, you will collaborate on strategic sourcing initiatives, drive supplier performance and manage key supplier relationships and the entire supplier portfolio in the category. You will play a key role in our ongoing procurement transformation, driving both process efficiency and strategic value creation. Together with your expertise, we can do meaningful work to drive Neste forward.

Reasons to join

We operate in an inspiring and evolving business environment as a global leader in renewable fuels. We contribute to Neste’s success by living our values every day: we care, we have courage, we cooperate.

We prioritize safety at all times and in every location. We strive to create a positive and impactful work environment.

Transformation brings new possibilities and fosters our courage and curiosity. As a global  company, we support personal development with versatile learning and career opportunities. Collaboration is key, and we believe in flexible, smart ways of working. We work at the office at least three days a week to ensure seamless teamwork and a sense of belonging.

In addition, our benefits for employees in Finland include, for example, a personnel fund as part of the overall remuneration, good occupational health care, a membership in a sickness or health insurance fund and leisure time accident insurance. We also support leisure time activities, e.g. by offering benefits for sports and culture (ePassi).

We organize free bus transportation to Kilpilahti for our employees from the capital region, Porvoo and the nearby areas.

More about the job

Your role in our team

• Develop and execute the global Category strategy for your dedicated area.

• Manage a strategic supplier portfolio, including performance management, risk mitigation, and development of key supplier partnerships  fostering collaboration and driving continuous improvement together.

• Proactively engage with Engineering, Maintenance, and Production stakeholders globally to understand technical requirements and jointly drive standardization

• Lead complex, global sourcing projects and negotiations to deliver optimal Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and ensure security of supply for Neste’s refineries.

• Draft, review, and oversee complex supply contracts, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

• Proactively monitor market insights (e.g., commodity trends, equipment lead times, supplier capacity) and communicate strategic implications to internal stakeholders. 

• Actively leverage global sourcing opportunities for finding best cost country suppliers

The best combination to succeed in this role

• Senior-level experience: A proven track record in end-to-end category management within global industrial environments.

• Strategic procurement expertise: Several years of experience in strategic procurement focused on materials or equipment, ideally within the MRO, refinery, chemical, or process industries.

• Technical acumen: A technical background (e.g., Engineering) is highly valued, as the role requires understanding of the technical materials and equipment we procure.

• Safety-oriented mindset: A strong sense of accountability for the end-to-end procurement process and commitment to safety at all times.

• Educational background: Master’s degree or equivalent in Engineering, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.

Other strengths we value

• Analytical & Problem Solving: Advanced analytical skills with a proven ability to solve complex problems and deliver value while improving company competitiveness and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

• Interpersonal & Communication: Strong written and spoken English communication skills; ability to work effectively in an intercultural, global environment. Fluency in Finnish is an advantage.

• Procurement Expertise: Solid understanding of global market trends, supplier capabilities, and category management, complemented by proven negotiation skills.
  
  

Let’s get you started

We look forward to receiving your CV and application by August 16th, 2026.

If you have any questions regarding the process or the position, please get in touch with Susanna Alaja, Head of Technical Materials and Equipment, +358 40 1625146, on August 6th at 14:00-15:00 (EEST) or August 13th at 14:00-15:00 (EEST) or susanna.alaja@neste.com.

To ensure security and confidentiality, please submit your application through our recruitment system, as we are unable to consider applications sent via email. We will do our best to contact you within 2 weeks after the application time has ended. The recruitment process will include interviews and a potential aptitude assessment. The first interviews are preliminarily scheduled to take place on the week 35. Depending on the requirements of the position, the process may include a security clearance (with a drug test).

Neste in brief

Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) is the world's leading producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with production on three continents. The company’s renewables production capacity is expected to reach 6.8 million tons annually in 2027. Neste also produces high-quality oil products at its Porvoo refinery in Finland. The company has a network of nearly 1,000 fuel stations with expanding service offering, such as EV charging, in Finland and in the Baltics.

Neste’s strategy focuses on growth in renewable fuels, which help its customers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Neste is included in many international indices for its sustainability performance. In 2025, Neste's revenue stood at EUR 19.0 billion. Read more: neste.com

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