Category Buyer

Karsten International; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Travel allowance or OV card

13th month & 8% holiday pay

Daily fresh lunch & great coffee

Bike leasing option

OpenUp for mental well‑being + office"

Job summary

Karsten International is seeking a senior Category Buyer to negotiate and manage purchase orders across diverse product categories in a fast‑moving retail environment.

You will test commercial feasibility, collaborate with Sales, Quality, Packaging Design and our teams in China and with suppliers to drive growth and innovation.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Retail procurement or related roles.
• Experience with category management and product development.
• Familiar with Chinese business culture.
• Purchasing process knows no secrets; strong negotiating instincts.
• Sharp, analytical, accurate and energetic mindset.
• Willingness to travel abroad several times a year.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate, place, and oversee purchase orders with suppliers.
• Execute price requests, negotiate, and calculate prices for quotations.
• Conduct trend watching, market research, and attend (international) fairs.
• Initiate and realize product innovations to respond to changing market needs.
• Develop and implement strategic and operational product strategies in the short and long term.
• Be the point of contact for questions about assortments, prices, and product information.
• Select and evaluate suppliers; set preconditions and agreements regarding production, quality, delivery, and deadlines.

Skills

Category Buyer experience

Category management

Product development

Chinese business culture

Purchasing process

Analytical skills

Driving licence B

Job description

Do you have a passion for consumer products, do you want to see the results of your work in hundreds of stores? Do you make razor‑sharp purchasing deals and are you the one who knows how to find opportunities in the market? Then read on.

In this exciting role, you will negotiate, place, and oversee purchase orders with our suppliers.

As such, you become an indispensable link in the procurement of non‑food products in various categories. There is never a dull moment because we have categories like multimedia, gadgets, hobby, home decorations, household, personal care, pet items, and more. Together with the other Category Buyers you are indispensable by, among other things, testing the commercial feasibility of products and you work along with Sales, Quality Management, Packaging Design, our team in China and the suppliers.

You will accomplish this by:

• Execute price requests plus negotiations and make price calculations for sales quotations.
• Trend watching, market research and searching on (international) fairs.
• Initiate and realize product innovations (and thus respond to changing needs in the market).
• On a tactical and strategic level, balances various factors to achieve development and implementation of strategic and operational product strategies in the short and long term.
• Point of contact for questions from colleagues about assortments, prices and other product information.
• Selecting and subsequently evaluating suppliers.
• Sets preconditions and makes agreements with the parties involved and / or colleagues about the services and products to be delivered in connection with: production, certification, quality, delivery, deadlines, etc.

What you bring with you

• 5+ years of relevant experience as a Category Buyer, Product Manager, or Purchaser within the Retail industry.
• Experience with and knowledge of category management and product development.
• You are already familiar with the Chinese (business) culture.
• The purchasing process holds no secrets for you.
• You are known for your sharpness, analytical ability, accuracy and boundless energy.
• You have a driving license B in your pocket and no objection to traveling abroad (several times a year).

What you can expect from us

At Karsten International you will join a supportive, ambitious team where we work hard, stay sharp, and enjoy what we do. We are growing fast, so there’s plenty of room to share ideas, take ownership, and really make an impact. We communicate openly, help each other out, and keep things direct but respectful.

What we offer

• Plenty of space for personal growth, ownership and continuous improvement
• Excellent pension scheme
• Travel allowance or OV card, 13th month & 8% holiday pay
• Daily fresh lunch, fruit, and great coffee
• Bootcamp, yoga, football team
• Option to lease a bike
• OpenUp for mental well‑being + massage at the office
• Discounts on great products & fun company outings
• Easily accessible office in Amsterdam