Central Procurement Manager

REFRESCO; Rotterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive bonus

Annual holiday

Pension scheme

Commuting allowance

Job summary

Refresco is seeking a Central Procurement Manager to own the Transport, Warehousing & Intralogistics category. You will develop strategy, build supplier partnerships and negotiate commercial agreements to keep Refresco competitive in a dynamic market.

The role requires leading global sourcing, managing supplier performance, and driving value engineering across logistics and equipment. You will collaborate with business units and cross-functional teams while traveling internationally.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in business administration, supply chain, procurement, engineering, economics or related field.
• 5+ years of strategic procurement experience in an international environment.
• Proven experience in logistics, warehousing, intralogistics or related indirect procurement.
• Experience developing category strategies, leading tenders and negotiating contracts.
• Strong commercial acumen and understanding of Total Cost of Ownership.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to translate data into procurement decisions.
• Strong stakeholder and project management skills with ability to influence internationally.
• Experience with ERP systems (preferably SAP) and procurement analytics.
• Fluency in English and willingness to travel internationally.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the Group-wide procurement strategy for Transport, Warehousing & Intralogistics.
• Take full ownership of the category, drive commercial decisions and align Group with local needs.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships and act as primary commercial contact.
• Lead regional and global sourcing activities, tenders, negotiations, and contracting.
• Monitor market developments, identify risks and opportunities, support business-continuity planning.
• Partner with Business Units on value engineering, TCO optimization, sustainable logistics, and automation.
• Manage supplier performance through KPIs, reviews, contract compliance and continuous improvement.
• Support strategic projects, budgets, integrations, and communicate results to senior stakeholders.

Skills

Strategic procurement

Category management

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Analytics

Education

Bachelor/Master degree

Tools

SAP

Job description

Reports to Head of Procurement - Indirect Procurement

Direct reports None

Travel Regular international travel

As Central Procurement Manager, you are fully responsible for the strategic and commercial performance of Transport, Warehousing & Intralogistics. This category includes transportation services, warehousing solutions, forklift fleets, pallet management and pooling, material-handling equipment, warehouse infrastructure and related operational services.

You develop and execute the category strategy, build long-term supplier partnerships, negotiate commercial agreements and ensure Refresco remains competitive in an everchanging market.

Working closely with Business Units, suppliers, and cross-functional stakeholders. That is including supply chain, operations, logistics, finance and procurement. You use market insights to drive informed sourcing decisions, challenge the business where appropriate, and identify opportunities to create value.

You take ownership of your category and act independently, balancing group priorities and local operational requirements. You identify opportunities for standardization, consolidation, and scale while considering cost, service, sustainability and risk.

Success in this role comes down to three key responsibilities:

• Gathering and sharing market, spend, supplier, and operational insights that enable better business decisions.
• Negotiating prices, terms, and contracts that strengthen Refresco’s competitive position and optimize Total Cost of Ownership.
• Driving value engineering initiatives across transportation, warehousing, and intralogistics.

What you will be doing

• Develop and execute the Group-wide procurement strategy for Transport, Warehousing & Intralogistics, aligned with Refresco’s business objectives.
• Take full ownership of your category, independently driving commercial decisions and aligning Group priorities with local operational needs.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships and act as the primary commercial contact for the category.
• Lead regional and global sourcing activities, tenders, negotiations, and contracting, including frameworks and service-level agreements.
• Monitor market and regulatory developments, identify risks and opportunities, and support business-continuity planning.
• Partner with Business Units on value engineering, TCO optimization, sustainable logistics, warehouse automation, and equipment electrification.
• Manage supplier performance through KPIs, business reviews, contract compliance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support strategic projects, budgets, business integrations, and M&A activities, while maintaining category data and communicating results to senior stakeholders.

What you will bring

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in business administration, supply chain, procurement, engineering, economics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of working experience in strategic procurement, category management, or global sourcing within an international environment.
• Proven experience in logistics, transportation, warehousing, intralogistics, or related indirect procurement categories.
• Experience developing category strategies, leading complex tenders, negotiating commercial agreements, and managing strategic suppliers.
• Strong commercial acumen, knowledge of supply-chain operations, and understanding of Total Cost of Ownership.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to translate market, spend, supplier, and operational data into procurement decisions.
• Strong stakeholder and project management skills, with the ability to influence across an international matrix organization.
• Experience with ERP systems (preferably SAP) and procurement analytics
• Fluency in English and willingness to travel internationally.

Behind every drink is a team that makes it happen. Join ours.

What we offer you.

At Refresco, we believe that your work should be rewarding, both professionally and personally. That’s why we offer you:

• Competitive pay with eligibility for an annual bonus
• No personal pension contribution – your pension is fully paid by Refresco
• 28 days of holiday (based on full-time employment) to recharge and enjoy your time off
• Continuous opportunities to develop yourself, with access to tailored courses, interactive e-learnings,
• Free access to OpenUp for you and your family members, supporting mental well-being and personal development
• A modern office nearby the vibrant city of Rotterdam
• Fun and connection through regular events organized by our enthusiastic Fun Committee
• Opportunities for professional development and training to help you grow in your career
• An NS Business Card or commuting allowance, making your journey to the office more convenient
• Memorable moments together, from our weekly shared Thursday lunches to annual events like Wellbeing Week, the Christmas dinner, and our Holding trip.
• A culture shaped by our core values: entrepreneurial, passionate, agile, responsible and excellent.

Recruitment process

In case of any questions with regards to the position, you may reach out to Yasimin Harput (Corporate Recruiter Group/HQ)

Important to know: We are currently unable to offer relocation support for this position. Candidates must be based locally in The Netherlands.