Head of Global Direct Spend

Reporting directly to the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO), you will drive innovation, optimize global supply chains, and establish best-in-class procurement practices. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of direct procurement, build a high-performing team, and play a pivotal role in Vanderlande’s evolution. If you thrive in a dynamic, high-stakes environment and have a passion for strategic leadership, we want to hear from you!

As Head of Global Direct Spend, you will be responsible for establishing a new organizational unit and positioning Global Direct Spend as a key strategic function within Vanderlande. You will align procurement activities with company goals, leverage synergies from our CTO model, and secure optimal pricing, terms, and conditions. In this leadership role, you will build and develop a top-tier team of procurement professionals dedicated to driving efficiency and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Global Direct Spend organization, overseeing procurement strategies that align with market trends, Vanderlande’s business objectives, and industry best practices.
• Build and develop a high-performing global team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Design and implement global direct spend strategies, leveraging synergies from the CTO model to optimize cost and value.
• Monitor market trends, including commodity price risk management (CPRM) and third-party manufacturing (TPM), to drive strategic decision-making.
• Work cross-functionally with regional heads and departments to ensure alignment in global procurement objectives.
• Strengthen supplier relationships, ensuring reliability, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
• Lead negotiations with strategic suppliers and manage complex procurement discussions.
• Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities and process optimizations to enhance procurement efficiency.
• Define KPIs, oversee budget management, and provide performance reports to ensure transparency and alignment with business goals.
• Proactively assess and mitigate risks associated with global direct procurement while ensuring compliance.

To succeed in this role, you should have:

• 7+ years of experience in global procurement, with a strong focus on direct spend management in complex, project-driven environments.
• A proven track record of building and leading new organizational units on a global scale, demonstrating an entrepreneurial and strategic mindset.
• Expertise in developing and executing procurement strategies that align with business objectives.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to develop and mentor high-performing teams.
• Analytical capabilities to drive data-informed decisions and optimize procurement strategies.
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills to manage both internal and external stakeholders effectively.
• A willingness to travel up to 20% of the time.

VanderLande is a market-leading, global partner for future-proof logistic process automation in the warehousing, airports and parcel sectors.

The global procurement organization ensures maximum value and minimized risks by sourcing goods and services in the most intelligent, cost-effective, and sustainable manner. They aim to build a resilient and competitive supplier ecosystem while advancing toward best-in-class procurement practices. As Vanderlande transitions from an Engineer-to-Order (ETO) to a Configure-to-Order (CTO) business model, procurement plays a crucial role in enhancing value through increased standardization, scalability, and more competitive solutions.

The Global Direct Spend team consists of procurement specialists and category experts dedicated to executing high-impact procurement strategies. This team plays a key role in strengthening supplier partnerships, optimizing contracts, and identifying opportunities for cost efficiency. Collaboration is central to success, as the team works closely with demand management, procurement centers of excellence, and regional procurement leads.

Join and play a leading role in shaping the future of global procurement at Vanderlande!