Buyer (f/m/div.)

Your contribution to something big: Take ownership of strategic supplier relationships and help create competitive, reliable and sustainable purchasing solutions. As a Strategic Buyer, you will be the key commercial interface for a defined supplier portfolio, managing supplier relationships from negotiations and contracts to performance, capacity and risk management. You will also bring supplier, regional and market insights into the development of our category strategy , working closely with Purchasing, Quality, Logistics and other cross-functional partners. In this role, you will: • Manage the relationship with a defined portfolio of suppliers, acting as the main commercial interface towards the supplier . • Take ownership of supplier-specific targets and drive their achievement in close cooperation with relevant internal stakeholders. • Lead commercial and contract negotiations , including pricing, corporate agreements, payment terms and other business conditions. • Prepare and conduct regular price negotiations , identifying opportunities to improve commercial competitiveness. • Manage supplier risks proactively and coordinate appropriate mitigation actions when required. • Monitor supplier-related quality, delivery and capacity topics in close collaboration with Quality and Logistics teams. • Coordinate and manage supplier escalations, ensuring clear ownership, appropriate actions and effective follow-up. • Contribute actively to the development and implementation of the category strategy , bringing insights from suppliers, markets, regions and product lines. • Lead RFQ and sourcing activities when assigned, coordinating quotations and supporting supplier selection decisions. • Maintain relevant purchasing and supplier data in ERP systems in cooperation with purchasing operations teams. • Support the continuous improvement of supplier performance, purchasing processes and commercial results. What distinguishes you:   Education • Degree in Business Administration, Economics, Engineering, Supply Chain Management or a related field. Experience • Relevant professional experience in strategic purchasing, sourcing, procurement or supplier management , ideally within an industrial or manufacturing environment. • Experience managing suppliers and conducting commercial and price negotiations . • Experience with sourcing activities, RFQs or category purchasing is valued. • Experience working with raw materials or commodity purchasing is an advantage. • Exposure to international suppliers and cross-functional organizations is valuable. Know-how • Good understanding of strategic sourcing, supplier management and commercial negotiation . • Ability to assess supplier performance, commercial opportunities and supply-related risks. • Knowledge of Plastics and/or Rubber commodities and supplier markets is a strong advantage. • Knowledge of tooling management and tooling ordering processes is an advantage. • Understanding of contract conditions, payment terms and commercial agreements. • Familiarity with ERP systems and purchasing master data. • Ability to contribute market and supplier insights to category strategies and sourcing decisions . Languages • Very good command of English , both written and spoken, including confidence in commercial negotiations and business communication. Working Style and Methods • You combine strategic thinking with a pragmatic and results-oriented approach . • You prepare negotiations based on facts, market information and clear commercial objectives. • You proactively identify potential supplier risks and opportunities. • You work independently while collaborating closely with Quality, Logistics and other purchasing stakeholders. • You manage priorities in a structured way and