Strategic Sourcing Expert - Marketing

Chain IQ Group AG; Köln; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Chain IQ Group AG is seeking a Strategic Sourcing Expert – Marketing based in Cologne to lead sourcing strategies for marketing services, including creative agencies, media, sponsorship, and events. You will drive end-to-end procurement initiatives, negotiate with agencies and suppliers, and deliver measurable savings while engaging stakeholders across Procurement and Marketing.

The role requires five+ years in strategic sourcing, strong German market knowledge, and fluency in German and

Qualifications

• Five+ years in strategic sourcing, procurement, or category management, preferably marketing.
• Experience sourcing marketing services in German agency and supplier markets.
• Proven track record leading complex marketing sourcing projects and negotiations.
• Strong end-to-end sourcing knowledge including category strategy, tendering, and savings delivery.
• Fluent written and spoken German and English.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver sourcing strategies for marketing services including creative agencies, media, sponsorship, and events.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing initiatives from market analysis to contract awards.
• Identify measurable savings, supplier consolidation, and commercial improvements.
• Advise stakeholders across Procurement, Marketing, Finance, Legal, and related functions.
• Manage marketing agencies and service providers and lead negotiations and supplier reviews.
• Use benchmarks and market intelligence to build solid business cases and sourcing recommendations.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Vendor management

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Excel

PowerPoint

Negotiation

German-English bilingual

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

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.

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 a Strategic Sourcing Expert – Marketing based in Cologne, you will develop and deliver effective sourcing and category strategies for a major German client in the consumer goods and retail sector. You will lead complex marketing procurement initiatives, combining strong market knowledge with commercial judgement, agency and supplier management, and effective stakeholder engagement. In doing so, you will create sustainable value beyond cost savings and advance marketing procurement through innovation and commercial excellence.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver sourcing and category strategies and category roadmaps for marketing services, including creative agencies, media, sponsorship, and event management.
• Lead complex end-to-end sourcing initiatives, from market analysis and tendering through agency and supplier evaluation, negotiation, and contract award.
• Identify and deliver measurable savings, commercial improvements, supplier consolidation, innovation, and risk reduction.
• Advise key stakeholders across Procurement, Marketing, Communications, Finance, Legal, and relevant business functions as a trusted sourcing partner.
• Manage strategic marketing agencies and service providers and lead complex negotiations, business reviews, and performance discussions.
• Use market benchmarks, agency and supplier intelligence, and industry knowledge to develop robust business cases and sourcing recommendations.
• Monitor market trends, pricing models, and agency and supplier developments across the German and European marketing services market, translating insights into actionable sourcing strategies.
• Collaborate with Chain IQ’s global category and sourcing teams and contribute to marketing category excellence, knowledge management, and procurement transformation.

Requirements

• At least five years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, vendor management, or category management, ideally with a focus on marketing services.
• Strong experience sourcing marketing services, with proven expertise in the German agency and supplier market.
• Demonstrated category experience across multiple marketing subcategories.
• Proven success leading complex marketing sourcing projects, commercial negotiations, and contract awards.
• Strong knowledge of end-to-end strategic sourcing for marketing services, including category strategy, market analysis, agency and supplier positioning, tendering, and savings delivery.
• Strong commercial, analytical, and contractual skills, with the ability to translate marketing requirements, delivery models, and complex data into robust recommendations and business cases.
• Confidence engaging with key and senior decision-makers, a high level of ownership, and the ability to manage complex priorities independently.
• Experience with source-to-contract tools and strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Fluent written and spoken German and English, including the ability to negotiate in both languages.

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.