Head of Purchasing Europe
Job Summary:
The Head of Purchasing Europe will lead the European purchasing function, focusing on building and managing a new team in Portugal. This role is critical in shaping and executing the sourcing strategy for tooling and forming equipment within the Aftermarket segment.
Key Responsibilities:
* Provide strategic and operational leadership for all European purchasing activities, especially related to the Aftermarket business.
* Build and lead cross-functional procurement teams in Germany (~10 FTE), Slovakia (~10 FTE), and a new team in Portugal (~10 FTE).
* Identify, qualify, and develop suppliers with a focus on tooling and forming, particularly in Portugal and Turkey.
* Lead complex supplier negotiations, audits, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
* Develop and implement LCC (low-cost country) sourcing strategies and drive supplier consolidation.
* Ensure alignment with global procurement and production teams to meet cost, quality, and delivery targets.
* Manage and coordinate sourcing projects across multiple international sites.
* Present purchasing strategies and results to the executive leadership team and key stakeholders.
* Ensure strict confidentiality regarding strategic initiatives, particularly concerning supplier and market developments.
Candidate Profile:
* Degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
* Minimum 5–7 years of leadership experience in strategic procurement, ideally within the automotive and/or Aftermarket sector.
* In-depth knowledge of tooling/forming procurement and industrial sourcing.
* Proven expertise in international purchasing processes, ideally within LCC environments such as Portugal and Turkey.
* Fluency in Portuguese is mandatory.
* In addition, very good command of English or German is required.
* Strong leadership capabilities, including team-building across multiple countries and remote team management.
* Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
* Willingness to travel internationally.
* Proficient in MS Office and SAP R3.
About Our Client:
Our client is a globally operating industrial enterprise generating annual revenues of EUR 1 billion, with consistently strong performance across all key financial indicators. With several thousand employees and a network of international production sites, the company is widely recognized for its engineering excellence and manufacturing capabilities.
Industry: Industrial Enterprise
Location: Portugal and/or Germany
Reports to: VP Supply Chain Europe