Global Head of Indirect Spend

**THE COMPANY**:
The company is one of the leading suppliers of specialty chemicals worldwide. The company operates more than 30 production sites worldwide with over 1,600 employees and is headquartered in Germany. It has revenues of about 1bn€ and is owned by private equity.

With over a century of experience in the industry, the company leverages cutting-edge technologies, a global community of experts at the core of their business, as well as in-depth knowledge of local industry needs to provide innovative and sustainable solutions. It has a strong client focus.

**ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT AND JOB PURPOSE**

The Global Head of Indirect Spend is globally responsible for all procurement activities related to Indirect Spend categories, such as IT, CAPEX, OPEX, Professional Services, Utilities, Logistics, and others with a total annual spend of approx. 300 m€.

The person in charge works in a matrix and leads a global team consisting of Global Category Managers, Local Category Buyers as well as team leads such as the P2P hub Europe and the Team Lead Indirects Americas.

He/she reports into the Chief Procurement Officer and ensures best total cost on a global scale.

He / She coordinates the global category activities and acts as key focal point for business partners and stakeholders on a global scale.

His/ her duty is to work out and implement in cooperation within his/ her team comprehensive Category Strategies which includes the description of:
1) the global supply market, 2) the company’s demand structure, 3) the company’s supply base and performance, 4) the Category Strategy, 5) the related supplier portfolio 6) cost reduction and improvement measures, 7) a corresponding implementation plan.

Based on the defined Category Strategies the Global Head of Indirect Spend is responsible for the results of the negotiations, the set up of supply contracts within the global framework in order to achieve competitive terms & conditions. This comprises an intensive and constructive alignment with all relevant internal stakeholders such as Finance, Operations, Supply Chain, IT and others.

**RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES**
- Leadership of his/ her team
- Escalation level in terms of supplier issues
- Ensures smooth and effective interaction within the Procurement network
- Drive supplier management in respective scope
- Contribute and steer the team to create value add and bottom-line impact for the company such as cost savings, risk reduction, higher delivery flexibility, increased competitiveness, more efficient processes, supplier innovation, etc. within respective scope
- Create aligned Category Strategies

Coordinate global activities of categories and alignment with regions (specifications, bundling, negotiations)
- Negotiate global contracts to ensure ongoing supply security and achieve competitive T&Cs
- Ensures appropriate skill levels in his/ her team and drives the development of Procurement staff in the framework set by HR and Procurement management
- Ensures appropriate information and cooperation with internal business partners (up to C-Level)
- Improve process efficiency and level of automation
- Reports to Procurement management status and achievements within the category

**SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED**

**_ Education/Experience:_**
- Degree in economics, business administration or natural sciences
- Strong experience in Indirect Material Procurement (minimum 5 years) in an international environment
- Track record in a Global Procurement Leadership function

**_ Skills/Competencies:_**
- Very good interpersonal and intercultural skills
- Experience in moderation of cross-functional teams (minimum 5 years)
- Experience in an international business environment (minimum 5 years)
- Experience in project management advantageous

**_ Technical skills:_**
- Strong expertise in Procurement techniques, methods, processes and strategies
- Strong executives' networking skills
- Strong analytical skills
- Good skills in using tools like SAP, excel and other databases
- Fluent in English (including negotiations), additional language advantageous, especially German
- Story lining and presentation skills (in front of executives)

**_ Competencies, behavioral skills:_**
- Ambitious and energetic self starter
- Good analytical and strategic thinking
- Very strong communication skills
- Very strong interpersonal/ cross-cultural understanding
- Strong networking skills
- Strong leadership and impact orientation
- Willingness to work and travel in an international environment

**_ Results orientation:_**
- Strives for improving results
- Maintains standards and service levels even under pressure or in the face of challenges from different stakeholders

**_ Entrepreneurship:_**
- Ability to develop and implement strategic initiatives
- Takes reasonable risks to achieve results
- Takes ownership even in ambiguous and uncomfortable situations

**_ Valuing and respecting people:_**
- Proactive team player; is