Strategic Procurement Manager

For an internationally active technological manufacturing organization in the Deinze region, we are looking for an experienced Strategic Procurement Manager.

In this position, you will play a key role within the international supply chain. You will help determine the purchasing strategy for raw materials, technical components, and services, and build sustainable relationships with strategic suppliers in Europe, America, and Asia.

You combine strategic insight and commercial strength with a hands-on approach. You negotiate, monitor international markets, manage supplier risks, and constantly look for opportunities to further optimize costs, quality, and security of supply.

Your role You take ownership of a number of strategically important purchasing categories and ensure that the organization can rely on reliable and competitive suppliers worldwide.

Specifically:

• You develop and implement sourcing strategies for raw materials, metals, technical components, and external services.
• You build relationships with strategic suppliers and manage existing international partnerships.
• You negotiate prices, terms, and commercial agreements.
• You actively search for new suppliers and guide the selection and qualification process.
• You monitor international market developments, raw material prices, and relevant pricing mechanisms.
• You identify potential risks within the supply chain and translate these into concrete actions.
• You initiate and realize cost-reduction projects without losing sight of quality, security of supply, or operational efficiency.
• You monitor supplier performance and intervene when agreements regarding quality, delivery, or service are not met.
• In case of complex delivery or quality problems, you work together with the involved internal and external parties on structural solutions.
• You monitor relevant procurement-KPIs and translate figures and market information into clear insights for management.
• You ensure that purchasing activities comply with relevant regulations and internal standards.
• You delve into production processes and material flows to be able to assess purchasing decisions not only commercially, but also technically and operationally.

To achieve this, you will work intensively with colleagues from, among others, Operations, Planning, Quality, R&D, and Logistics, both locally and internationally. We are looking for an experienced procurement professional who enjoys taking responsibility and feels at home in a technical and international manufacturing environment.

You:

• hold a bachelor's or master's degree in an economic, technical, supply chain, or similar field;
• have at least 5 years of relevant experience within strategic purchasing, sourcing, or procurement;
• preferably have experience within an industrial or manufacturing environment;
• are strong in negotiations and supplier management;
• understand how purchasing decisions impact supply chain, logistics, and production;
• have experience with ERP systems and relevant procurement tools;
• are analytically strong and can interpret market information and price developments;
• can work independently, determine priorities, and take ownership;
• combine strategic thinking with a pragmatic, hands-on approach;
• dare to critically question existing suppliers, processes, and ways of working;
• are strong communicators and can easily switch between both technical and commercial stakeholders;
• speak fluent English;
• are willing to travel internationally occasionally.