Alcott Global is retained by a leading international industrial company to search for a Head of Indirect Procurement to be based in Germany or Netherlands.

The Head of Indirect Procurement is responsible for leading the global strategy, governance, and execution of sourcing initiatives across all indirect spend categories, including IT, professional services, MRO, facilities, logistics, HR services, marketing, travel, and capital expenditures.

This role drives cost optimization, demand management, supplier performance, risk mitigation, and process standardization across regions and business units. The Director partners closely with Finance, IT, HR, Operations, Legal, and executive leadership to align procurement strategies with enterprise objectives while enhancing transparency, compliance, and value realization.

Key Responsibilities:  

• Develop and implement global category strategies across all indirect spend areas.
• Drive cost optimization, value creation, and demand management initiatives across business functions.
• Lead complex commercial negotiations and strategic supplier contracting.
• Establish strong procurement governance, policies, and compliance frameworks.
• Partner with Finance to support budgeting, forecasting, savings validation, and working capital objectives.
• Collaborate with IT, HR, Marketing, Facilities, and other functional leaders to align sourcing strategies with business needs.
• Lead strategic sourcing initiatives including RFPs, RFQs, and supplier selection processes.
• Implement supplier performance management programs, including KPIs, SLAs, and scorecards.
• Drive consolidation of suppliers and standardization of services across regions where appropriate.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to supplier concentration, financial stability, cybersecurity, and service continuity.
• Oversee procurement technology platforms (e-sourcing, contract lifecycle management, P2P systems).
• Champion procurement digital transformation and process automation initiatives.
• Lead ESG, sustainability, and responsible sourcing efforts within indirect categories.
• Build and develop a high-performing indirect procurement team.
• Promote best practices in category management, stakeholder engagement, and total cost of ownership analysis.
• Deliver measurable improvements in cost savings, process efficiency, compliance, and service quality.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or related field required. An MBA or a Master’s degree is an advantage.
• 12+ years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or supply chain leadership roles.
• 5+ years leading indirect procurement teams in a global or multi-site environment.
• Experience managing diverse indirect categories such as IT, professional services, facilities, and MRO.
• Demonstrated success in delivering enterprise-wide cost savings and procurement transformation initiatives.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation expertise.
• Deep understanding of indirect spend categories and supplier markets.
• Experience with procurement systems (SAP, Oracle, Coupa, Ariba, Jaggaer, etc.).
• Strong financial and analytical capabilities, including TCO and cost modeling.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive cross-functional alignment.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and change management skills.
• Experience in global procurement governance and compliance frameworks.

Alcott Global is retained by a leading international industrial company to search for a Head of Strategic Sourcing to be based in Germany or Netherlands.

The Head of Strategic Sourcing is responsible for leading the development and execution of global sourcing strategies across direct and/or indirect spend categories to drive cost optimization, supplier performance, risk mitigation, and long-term value creation. This role partners closely with Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, Finance, Quality, and key business stakeholders to ensure sourcing strategies align with organizational goals and support global manufacturing and commercial operations.

The Head will lead strategic supplier negotiations, oversee contract development, drive category management initiatives, and ensure supply continuity across a global supplier network.

Key Responsibilities:  

• Develop and execute global sourcing strategies across assigned spend categories.
• Conduct spend analysis, market assessments, and supplier benchmarking to inform sourcing decisions.
• Drive cost reduction and value creation initiatives through competitive bidding, value analysis, and supplier consolidation.
• Align sourcing strategies with business objectives, manufacturing footprint, and growth initiatives.
• Build and manage strategic supplier relationships to ensure performance in cost, quality, delivery, and innovation.
• Lead supplier selection, evaluation, qualification, and segmentation processes.
• Implement and manage supplier performance scorecards and corrective action plans.
• Lead complex global contract negotiations, including pricing, commercial terms, and risk mitigation provisions.
• Ensure contract compliance and governance across business units and regions.
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks, including geopolitical, financial, and capacity-related risks.
• Develop dual-sourcing and contingency plans to ensure supply continuity.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Quality to support sourcing decisions and total cost of ownership models.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) and supplier onboarding initiatives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of sourcing professionals.
• Drive procurement process improvements, standardization, and digital tool adoption.
• Support ESG, sustainability, and responsible sourcing initiatives within the supply base.
• Deliver measurable improvements in cost, working capital, supplier performance, and risk reduction.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or related field required. An MBA or a Master’s degree is an advantage.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or supply chain roles.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing sourcing teams and global supplier portfolios.
• Experience in industrial manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, energy, chemicals, heavy equipment, or related sectors strongly preferred.
• Proven success managing global sourcing strategies across multiple regions (Americas, EMEA, APAC).

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong expertise in category management, supplier negotiations, and contract management.
• Deep understanding of industrial supply markets, manufacturing processes, and supplier economics.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver cost savings, working capital improvements, and value creation.
• Strong financial acumen, including TCO analysis and cost modeling.
• Excellent stakeholder management and ability to influence cross-functional leadership.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and talent development capabilities.
• Knowledge of ERP and sourcing tools (SAP, Oracle, Coupa, Ariba, Jaggaer, etc.).
• Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills.