Job summary

The Lead Buyer is responsible for handling procurement business processes as well as administration in sourcing products and services on a European scale. He/she may also oversee local activities such as procurement for local plants.

In addition, the Lead Buyer will ensure a constant supply in compliance with the procurement policy defined by the Company and with the aim to achieve optimum savings without compromising quality.

Main tasks and responsibilities

European wide procurement

• Be in charge of procurement for dedicated product categories such as raw materials, additives, industrial equipment, etc. and provide support to plants within these dedicated categories
• Contract products and services internationally and/or locally
• Optimize procurement synergies at European level, in coordination with Group strategy and directives
• Handle Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) on dedicated categories
• Ensure compliance with the purchasing budgets by negotiating the purchase of raw materials at competitive prices under the annual sales contracts and by developing purchasing reliable and long-term partnership with suppliers listed by the company
• Perform a technical validation of the material purchases
• Identify and evaluate new suppliers in a constant search to optimize cost, quality, and deadlines
• Provide technological oversight in cooperation with the Development team in order to propose innovative materials or solutions and ensure compliance with food-related and industrial regulations

Local procurement

• Provide support to the dedicated local plant(s)
• Be responsible for certain local purchasing
• Contract products and services locally and, whenever beneficial, internationally
• Investigate local sourcing for better pricing and social responsibility approach
• Be part of the Site Management Team, and as such identify new projects and potentials for costs savings and plant improvement plans

General Procurement management (for both European and Site Buyer scopes)

• Handle European and local reporting activities on topics such as Performance, Quality, Supply Chain, market economics, etc.
• Budget: prepare and monitor a procurement budget for dedicated product categories
• Purchase administration: administer all purchases, prices, quantities, materials, services
• Compliance: ensure compliance of purchases with the requirements of the contract specifications, health & safety regulations, commercial and tax legal regulations
• Procurement contracts: regularly review contracts to ensure the highest competitiveness
• Optimization: continuously and aggressively search for process, operational and financial improvements and synergies
• Market monitoring: constantly monitor suppliers’ market to ensure the best price and conditions
• Forecasts and reporting: prepare and distribute reports on all procurement related activities to the defined respondents
• Perform administrative and accounting follow-up of indicators (spend, quality & supply chain level …) and keep a supplier database up-to-date
• Leadership Project: mainly procurement, Industry 4.0 & OPS
• Working Cap reduction: optimization payment terms

Minimum job specifications and requirements

• Education: University degree in Procurement, Logistics or Supply Chain, Economics and/or Engineering
• Trainings: B2B negotiation techniques, SRM, Contract Law, Project management, Controlling/Finance
• Experience: 5-15 years of experience in Procurement in the plastic industry, ideally in packaging Experience in a global industrial company; responsible for international Procurement

Working conditions

The incumbent may be required to travel on a regular basis, mostly in European plants and headquarter.