Procurement Lead

Global Procurement Lead

Location: Warsaw region, Poland

An established international consumer products business is conducting a confidential search for a Global Procurement Lead.

This is a senior and highly practical procurement position with responsibility for direct materials, components and selected indirect categories across an international manufacturing environment.

The successful candidate will take personal ownership of strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, cost improvement and procurement reporting. Although the role carries broad responsibility, it is not a conventional executive management position. It requires someone who enjoys remaining close to the detail and personally leading the majority of procurement activity.

The Opportunity

The business has reached a stage where it needs greater commercial discipline, clearer spend visibility and a more structured approach to supplier management.

You will have considerable autonomy to review existing expenditure, identify commercial opportunities and introduce practical procurement controls. You will also strengthen sourcing arrangements across multiple markets as the company continues to grow internationally.

Responsibilities

• Own procurement across an international manufacturing operation

• Personally lead sourcing exercises, tenders and supplier negotiations

• Manage strategically important direct material and component categories

• Negotiate pricing, payment terms, service levels and contractual protections

• Identify opportunities for cost reduction, supplier consolidation and alternative sourcing

• Create clearer spend reporting and supplier performance visibility

• Develop category strategies based on market analysis and business priorities

• Work closely with production, finance, logistics and operational stakeholders

• Support and provide direction to an existing buyer

• Track commercial improvements and communicate results to senior leadership

What we are looking for

• Substantial procurement experience within manufacturing, consumer products or another physical products environment

• Strong experience sourcing direct materials or components

• Relevant category exposure in areas such as packaging, metal, printing, raw materials, logistics or outsourced production

• Recent experience personally leading sourcing projects and commercial negotiations

• Evidence of delivering meaningful cost improvements

• Strong category management, supplier analysis and benchmarking capability

• The ability to create useful procurement reporting and controls

• Experience working across multiple countries, sites or manufacturing operations

• Fluent English and confidence working with international colleagues and suppliers

• Strong analytical and Excel capability

• The independence to operate effectively without extensive procurement infrastructure

The right person

You may currently be working as a Senior Category Manager, Strategic Sourcing Manager, Procurement Manager, Purchasing Manager, Commodity Manager or Procurement Lead.

Your current title is less important than your approach. This opportunity will suit someone senior enough to own an international procurement mandate while still enjoying the practical work of analysing spend, approaching suppliers, running tenders and negotiating agreements.

It will be less suitable for someone primarily motivated by building and managing a large team. The company needs an autonomous procurement expert who enjoys accountability and remains close to execution.

Why consider it?

• Broad ownership within an international business

• Significant opportunity to influence purchasing costs and supplier strategy

• Considerable autonomy to improve procurement reporting and controls

• Direct exposure to senior leadership

• A practical role where commercial improvements will be highly visible

• Competitive compensation

• Employment contract and B2B options available

This is a confidential appointment. Further information about the company, location and international remit will be shared with suitable candidates during an initial conversation.

To express interest, please apply with your CV or LinkedIn profile. All enquiries will be treated in strict confidence.