Overview
A rare opportunity to build and lead a global procurement function from the ground up within a high-growth company on a strong upward trajectory. This role is strategically critical as the business expands rapidly. You will shape the function, hire a new team, and establish deep supplier partnerships-directly influencing future growth, resilience, and competitiveness.
Key Responsibilities
* Architect and lead the global procurement strategy, focusing on significant supplier expansion
* Build high-level, long-term supplier partnerships; leverage ecosystems and negotiate at senior levels.
* Create procurement standards, policy, governance, and best practice across a business that has operated procurement via Operations to date.
* Recruit and develop a new team of ~5 roles (including a Senior Category Manager) to establish a high-performing, modern procurement organisation.
* Work as a peer to the C-suite-particularly the COO (Hamburg-based)-to set priorities, align spend, and embed procurement influence early.
* Drive competitive advantage through sophisticated supplier relationship management, balancing technology (AI tools) with strategic, relationship-led engagement.
* Develop strong spend insight, category strategies, and sourcing roadmaps to support rapid scale-up.
* Travel extensively across Europe and China to build, maintain, and grow supplier connections.
* Present to and engage with senior internal and external stakeholders
Qualifications & Experience
* 10-15+ years' experience in senior procurement leadership within relevant industrial, energy, engineering, or equipment-heavy sectors.
* Ideally proven track record creating and sustaining senior-level supplier partnerships in China; strong familiarity with Chinese CAPEX supply markets.
* Hands‑on and strategic‑able to build a function while executing high-value sourcing activity.
* Experience in renewables, energy, or adjacent industrial sectors preferred; customer‑side or supplier‑side backgrounds both considered.
* Strong cross-cultural leadership; prior experience managing or collaborating with teams on the ground in China is highly desirable.
* Ability to operate as a C‑suite peer-confident, influential, and credible with senior leadership and investors.
* Fluent English required; German advantageous but not essential.
Role Requirements
* Onsite presence in Hamburg at least 3 days per week.
* Extensive international travel to suppliers and European plants.
* Ability to start early Q1 (flexible for the right candidate).
* Commitment to building a career-evidence of progression and capability development.
What Makes This Opportunity Compelling
* Join a fast-scaling company with strong investor backing
* Build the procurement function from zero-full ownership, high autonomy, immediate strategic impact.
* Play a pivotal role in unlocking growth
* Direct visibility to C-suite and investors; part of the leadership team shaping the next stage of growth.
* Competitive package with potential bonus elements aligned to company growth.
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