Category Manager (m/f/d)

About the Role at RobCo

RobCo is building the category of Autonomous Industrial Robotics and we're doing it fast. We believe that automating the ordinary frees humans to do the extraordinary, and we're building the end-to-end robotics infrastructure to make that possible - hardware, software, and AI in one stack that just works.

At RobCo, we automate the ordinary, so humans can do the extraordinary. To achieve this, we are looking for an ambitious Category Manager (m/f/d) to help us establish RobCo as leading provider of automation solutions.

Your Responsibilities

• Strategic Procurement & Category Strategy: Define category strategies for hardware components. Analyze markets and suppliers to identify savings and innovation. Align with Engineering and Manufacturing on sourcing decisions

• Supplier Management: Build and develop the supplier base. Negotiate agreements, pricing, and SLAs. Review supplier performance and manage supply risks

• Operational Procurement: Ensure material availability across the production lifecycle. Coordinate with Supply Chain, Logistics, and Production Planning. Handle escalations for supply disruptions

• Cost Management: Own procurement budget and cost targets. Conduct TCO analyses and market benchmarking

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Support R&D, Engineering, and Product Management on component selection and NPI. Contribute to commodity roadmaps and technology trends

• Compliance & Documentation: Ensure compliance with procurement policies and export control regulations. Maintain supplier data and contracts in ERP systems

We're looking for someone who has:

• Several years of experience in strategic procurement or category management, ideally in hardware, electronics, or manufacturing environments

• Proven track record in developing category strategies and managing complex supplier relationships

• Strong negotiation skills and experience with framework agreements and commercial terms

• Solid understanding of TCO analysis, cost benchmarking, and budget management

• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with Engineering, R&D, and Product Management

• Confident use of ERP and procurement systems

• Analytical mindset, structured approach, and ability to manage multiple priorities independently

• Strong communication skills in German and English

Why join RobCo?

• Develop modular, software-defined robotics solutions with us that set new standards in automation.

• Help us build robots equipped with state-of-the-art AI that perceive their environment, analyze data, and make intelligent decisions in real time.

• As part of a very dynamic and fast-growing scale-up, you will take on responsibility from day one, drive your own projects, and see the direct impact of your work.

• Flat hierarchies, open communication, and regular 360° feedback enable fast decisions and support your professional and personal development.

• Work out across Germany in over 7,200 studios with our subsidized Wellpass membership.

• Flexible working hours, a modern office, and—depending on the role—the option to work from home.

• Regular team events—from relaxed beer & pizza nights on the rooftop terrace to shared experiences on ski trips or at Oktoberfest.

About RobCo

Founded in Munich in 2020, RobCo leads the transition toward fully Autonomous Industrial Robotics. Our mission is to deploy RobCo in every factory - solving the industrial labor shortage through end-to-end robotics that just works. Powered by Physical AI, our solutions combine a scalable modular hardware architecture with intelligent software that adapts to your use case, improves over time, and requires zero upfront investment through our Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model.

We solve our customers' most pressing pain points - labor shortage, cost pressure, workplace safety, and national reshoring - across the full spectrum of Autonomous Industrial Robotics. With $160M raised from investors including Lightspeed, Lingotto Innovation, and Sequoia, 200+ people globally, and 2.5M+ operating hours in the field, we are deploying robots in factories across Europe and the United States - with our US operations headquartered in Austin, TX, and our RobCo Bay Area Demo Lab in San Francisco.

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

At RobCo, applicants are selected regardless of ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation. All decisions throughout the recruitment process are based solely on applicants’ qualifications, skills, knowledge, and experience, as well as relevant business requirements.

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