Procurement Category Manager - IT at Mistral (Paris, France)
Mistral· Paris, France·
Role details
Mistral at a glance
A French AI lab building open and frontier-grade large language models, with the full developer and enterprise stack around them.
Mistral is a French AI lab that builds open and frontier-grade large language models and sells the full stack around them: developer tooling, an agent studio, consumer and enterprise apps like Le Chat and Vibe, custom model training, and its own GPU compute. Its edge is deployment control, with open weights, EU hosting, and self-hosting for regulated and sovereign buyers.
$3B+ raised · latest: Series C · 1.7B euros · Sept 2025 · backed by ASML, Nvidia, Andreessen Horowitz, DST Global
Job description
About Mistral
Mistral provides full-stack AI solutions: from frontier models to developer tools, applications, and compute. We partner with enterprises tackling the hardest problems across high-stakes industries like finance, manufacturing, defense, healthcare, and the public sector, co-creating customized AI systems that they can run on their terms. We are a dynamic, collaborative team passionate about AI and its potential to transform society. Our diverse workforce thrives in competitive environments and is committed to driving innovation. Our teams are distributed between Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. We are creative, low-ego and team-spirited.
The Role
As a Procurement Category Manager - IT on the Procurement team, you will own and drive cost savings across indirect spend, with a focus on IT and Data categories. This role is critical to scaling Mistral’s operations efficiently, as you define and execute procurement strategies for high-impact areas like data acquisition, SaaS, and tooling. You will collaborate closely with internal stakeholders to rationalize contracts, renegotiate agreements, and implement processes that reduce complexity and costs, directly shaping how Mistral optimizes its resources.
What You Will Do
- Lead global negotiations on indirect spend to drive measurable cost savings.
- Define and execute procurement strategies tailored for the IT category.
- Identify and manage existing contracts, tools, and needs, including renewals and renegotiations.
- Build and manage supplier panels to reduce fragmentation and improve governance.
- Rationalize tool usage and consolidate internal needs with business owners.
- Lead procurement projects end-to-end, from RFP to contractualization.
- Contribute to the digitization of procurement through P2P tool adoption.
What We're Looking For
- At least 5 years of experience as a Buyer/Category Manager, ideally in IT, SaaS, or related categories.
- Proven ability to negotiate with large providers in competitive or tense markets.
- Strong project management skills to handle multiple initiatives and align stakeholders.
- Assertiveness and communication skills to push back constructively and build trusted relationships.
- Adaptability to thrive in dynamic, evolving environments.
What We Offer
We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and work-life balance. Benefits vary by country and may include healthcare coverage, parental leave, retirement plans, relocation support, wellness programs, meal and transportation allowances, and other location-specific perks. For the most up-to-date details on benefits available in your location, please refer to our Benefits page.
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Why work at Mistral
- Culture: Flat structure, high ownership, low ego, and a "builders, not order takers" mentality. The company values audacity, speed, rigor, and customer centricity.
- Remote/Hybrid/Office: Based in Paris (15 rue des Halles); relocation support and visa sponsorship offered. Specific remote/hybrid policy not detailed, but global team suggests flexibility.
- Notable perks and benefits (from careers page):
- 20 weeks paid parental leave for all birthing parents.
- 100% employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
- 6% 401k match (US) / 5% pension contribution (UK).
- Childcare support (reserved daycare seats or financial assistance).
- Meal allowances and transportation support.
- Fitness and wellness subsidies.
- Relocation and settling-in services.
- Financial and career planning support.
- Team composition: 900+ employees from 30+ nationalities; 50% female leaders.
- Interview process: For science, product, and engineering roles: intro conversation → 2-5 technical exercises → 1-3 interviews (hiring manager + teammates) → values conversation → reference checks.