Workstyle: Primarily remote, with occasional office presence required in Timișoara.

Scope of the Role

• Serve as a strategic leader for global supplier relationship management and procurement excellence across multiple countries.
• Replace an experienced professional in a stable role, with a preference for a Romanian-based candidate.
• Drive optimization, alignment, and consolidation of procurement processes globally.
• Report directly to the VP of Sourcing, acting as a strategic right hand, ensuring global sourcing strategies align with business needs.
• Lead initiatives in supplier risk management, sustainability, compliance, and performance monitoring.
• Mentor the development of the Supplier Quality Management function and support an international team of quality engineers.
• Elevate procurement processes through optimization, digital solutions, and best practice methodologies.

Department Structure

• Reports to: VP of Sourcing
• Team: No direct subordinates

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Minimum 5 years of experience in sourcing (direct and indirect) within the industrial sector.
• Multicultural work experience and excellent cross-cultural management skills.
• Proven leadership skills.
• Highly reliable, with the ability to work remotely while maintaining high levels of accountability and performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the global Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) and Procurement Excellence efforts.
• Align supplier strategies with the company's overall supply chain vision.
• Provide strategic direction to global commodity teams for supplier management, risk mitigation, and sustainability initiatives.
• Develop supplier lifecycle management practices aligned with corporate sustainability goals.
• Oversee the development and negotiation of supplier agreements.
• Ensure regular supplier quality audits (ISO, IATF, CSR/ESG, VDA 6.3.) and drive improvements based on findings.
• Lead and mentor the international Supplier Quality Management team.
• Provide escalation support and guidance to local teams.
• Optimize SRM tools for data-driven decision-making and supplier performance tracking.
• Implement proactive supplier risk assessments and financial health monitoring.
• Develop supplier diversification strategies to minimize dependency risks.
• Create and manage disaster recovery and continuity plans for supply chain disruptions.
• Lead sustainability initiatives and ensure supplier adherence.
• Conduct regular compliance reviews and risk assessments.
• Partner closely with Global Commercial Purchasing teams to enhance global procurement risk management and compliance efforts.
• Analyze and optimize sourcing processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Champion the adoption of digital procurement tools (e.g., eRFQ, eAuction, SAP Hana).
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and best practice sharing.
• Design training programs to strengthen supplier relationship management and organizational procurement excellence skills.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of purchasing processes, spend management, and supplier relationship management.
• Experience in process optimization, competitive analysis, and market trends.
• In-depth knowledge of quality management systems and standards (ISO 9001, IATF 16949).
• Proven leadership and mentoring skills.
• Strong analytical abilities for data-driven decision-making.
• Expertise in risk management within the procurement function.
• Fluent English; German is a plus (not a dealbreaker)

Compensation and Benefits

• Meal vouchers – 40 RON/day.
• Private Health Insurance.
• Transport reimbursement.
• Vacation and holiday bonuses.
• Ongoing training and professional development opportunities.
• Collaborative and supportive work environment.