Head of Procurement – International Industrial Group

Batka International is partnering with an established international industrial group to recruit its future Head of Procurement, as part of a major transformation of its purchasing and supply chain organisation.With more than 1,000 employees and an international manufacturing footprint, our client develops and manufactures high-performance engineered components for demanding industrial markets, including energy, infrastructure and heavy industry.The Group is currently transitioning from a historically decentralised purchasing model towards a more integrated, strategic and internationally coordinated procurement organisation.This newly structured position represents a significant opportunity for an experienced procurement professional to build and lead a divisional procurement function, shape its long-term strategy and directly influence the Group's operational and financial performance.Reporting to divisional senior leadership, you will oversee procurement activities across eight manufacturing sites in Europe and Asia, representing approximately €60–70 million in annual purchasing expenditure, covering both direct and indirect categories.Beyond managing procurement performance, your challenge will be to establish a more structured, collaborative and results-driven purchasing organisation across the division.Your ResponsibilitiesDefine and implement the divisional procurement strategyDevelop and deploy a consistent procurement strategy across eight international manufacturing sites.Consolidate purchasing volumes and leverage the Group's combined purchasing power to improve commercial conditions.Structure category management strategies covering steel, metals, industrial components, surface treatments and indirect purchasing.Establish common procurement processes, governance frameworks and performance indicators across the division.Drive cost optimisation and supplier performanceLead an ambitious cost-reduction programme, delivering measurable and sustainable savings.Develop strategic supplier partnerships and negotiate competitive long-term agreements.Optimise supplier contracts, payment terms and purchasing conditions to improve margins and working capital.Strengthen supplier risk management, compliance and supply chain resilience, including dual-sourcing strategies and international trade exposure.Contribute to inventory optimisation and the reduction of working capital requirements.Build and lead an international procurement organisationProvide functional leadership to local purchasing teams across the division, ensuring alignment with the overall procurement strategy.Recruit, develop and directly manage an initial team of two to three Category Managers.Work closely with Plant Managers, Operations, Finance and Supply Chain stakeholders to align purchasing priorities with business objectives.Drive organisational change by encouraging collaboration, sharing best practices and developing a common procurement culture.Contribute to the Group's long-term transformationEstablish a structured procurement performance framework, including savings, supplier performance, inventory and working capital indicators.Support continuous improvement initiatives across purchasing and supply chain activities.Contribute to the progressive integration of procurement and supply chain processes, with potential future responsibilities extending to broader supply chain management and S&OP.Your ProfileWe are looking for an experienced procurement professional with a strong industrial background, solid commercial expertise and the ability to operate effectively in an international, evolving organisation.You bring:Proven procurement experience within mechanical engineering, machining, steel, metallurgy, or a comparable industrial manufacturing environment.Significant experience in strategic procurement, purchasing or category management.Proven expertise in strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, category management and cost optimisation.Experience managing substantial purchasing expenditure and working with multiple manufacturing sites or international stakeholders.A strong understanding of supplier performance, purchasing risk, working capital optimisation and procurement performance indicators.The ability to influence stakeholders, align local teams and drive change within a matrix organisation.Excellent communication, negotiation and analytical skills, combined with a pragmatic, hands-on and results-oriented mindset.Experience in developing procurement structures, improving purchasing processes or leading transformation initiatives would be particularly valuable.We are open to two types of backgrounds:An established Head of Procurement, Purchasing Director or Procurement Leader looking for a broader international challenge.A highly experienced Senior Category Manager or Global Commodity Manager from a larger industrial organisation, ready to take the next step into a divisional leadership position.Languages: Fluent English is essential. German is strongly preferred, while French would be an additional advantage.Why Join?This opportunity offers more than a traditional procurement leadership position.You will have the opportunity to:Build and shape a procurement function, rather than simply manage an established structure.Take ownership of a significant international purchasing scope, with direct influence on business profitability and cash performance.Play a central role in a major industrial and organisational transformation.Develop your own category management team while working closely with senior leadership and operational stakeholders across multiple countries.Combine the resources and international reach of an established industrial group with the autonomy and entrepreneurial mindset of a developing organisation.Benefit from long-term career development opportunities, with potential progression towards broader supply chain leadership responsibilities.If this opportunity sounds interesting to you, feel free to apply or contact me directly via LinkedIn to discuss the position further.