Sourcing Excellence

Chain IQ; Köln; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Chain IQ, a global AI-driven Procurement Service Partner, is seeking a Sourcing Excellence Manager for Germany to drive excellence, transformation, and continuous improvement across Germany and Switzerland.

You will partner with regional sourcing leadership, client teams, and global stakeholders to standardize processes, accelerate adoption of best-in-class sourcing practices and AI-enabled tools, and deliver measurable improvements in quality, efficiency, and compliance.

Qualifications

• University degree in a related field.
• Several years of professional experience in procurement or sourcing functions.
• Strong knowledge of sourcing and procurement processes and best practices.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects in international environments.
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making abilities.
• Knowledge of digital procurement tools and AI-supported solutions.

Responsibilities

• Drive regional and global Sourcing Excellence initiatives.
• Lead process optimization, standardization, and automation projects.
• Partner with sourcing teams and stakeholders to identify improvements.
• Analyze sourcing data, KPIs, and trends to inform decisions.
• Manage cross-functional projects with defined scope and governance.
• Promote adoption of digital procurement tools and AI-driven solutions.
• Develop dashboards, reporting frameworks, and governance standards.
• Deliver training and capability development for sourcing professionals.
• Support risk management, compliance, and quality assurance.

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Location: Cologne, DE

Date: Oct 1, 2026

At Chain IQ, your ideas move fast.

Chain IQ is a global AI-driven Procurement Service Partner, headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, with operations across main centers and 16 offices worldwide. We provide tailored, end-to-end procurement solutions that enable transformation, drive scalability, and deliver substantial reductions in our clients' indirect spend. Our culture is built on innovation, entrepreneurship, ownership, and impact. Here, your voice matters - bold thinking is encouraged, and action follows ambition.

Role Purpose

As the Sourcing Excellence Manager Germany, you will be part of the Global Sourcing Excellence organization and play a key role in driving sourcing excellence, process transformation, and continuous improvement initiatives across Germany and Switzerland. You will partner closely with regional sourcing leadership, client teams, and global stakeholders to strengthen sourcing capabilities, standardize processes, and accelerate the adoption of best-in-class sourcing practices, digital solutions, and AI-enabled tools. The role combines strategic project leadership, operational excellence, change management, and stakeholder engagement to enhance sourcing performance, quality, efficiency, and compliance. You will act as a trusted advisor to leadership while helping shape the future of sourcing within Chain IQ.

Responsibilities

• Drive and implement regional and global Sourcing Excellence initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and sourcing best practices.
• Lead process optimization, standardization, and automation projects to improve sourcing effectiveness, quality, cycle times, and operational efficiency.
• Partner with sourcing teams, client engagement management, and business stakeholders to identify performance improvement opportunities and drive sustainable solutions.
• Analyze sourcing data, KPIs, and operational trends to provide actionable insights and support strategic decision-making.
• Manage cross-functional projects, including scope definition, planning, stakeholder alignment, execution, and performance tracking.
• Promote the adoption of digital procurement solutions, AI-driven tools, prompt engineering techniques, and innovative ways of working.
• Develop and maintain dashboards, reporting frameworks, governance standards, and performance monitoring tools.
• Design and deliver training, onboarding programs, and capability development initiatives for sourcing professionals.
• Support risk management, compliance, and quality assurance activities to ensure adherence to internal controls, client requirements, and regulatory standards.
• Prepare management presentations, business cases, executive briefings, and communication materials for senior stakeholders.

Requirements

• University degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Engineering, or a related field.
• Several years of professional experience in Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain, Business Transformation, Consulting, or Project Management.
• Strong knowledge of sourcing and procurement processes, methodologies, tools, and best practices.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional projects and driving process improvement initiatives in an international environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into actionable business insights.
• Knowledge of digital procurement tools, automation technologies, and AI-supported solutions; experience with prompt engineering is an advantage.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Proactive, hands-on, and results-oriented mindset with a passion for continuous improvement and innovation.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Fluent in German and English, both written and spoken.

Join a truly global team.

We offer a dynamic and international environment where high performance meets real purpose. We're proud to be Great Place to Work-certified and even prouder of the people who make that possible. Let’s shape the future of procurement - together.

Chain IQ – Create. Lead. Make an impact.