Commodity buyer Indirect Spend

xentys; Leiden; Hybrid; EUR 82,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

xentys, a project-driven high-tech company in the Leiden region, seeks a Commodity Buyer Indirect Spend. You will shape sourcing for indirect categories, partnering with internal stakeholders in an international setting to deliver value through contracts, cost optimisation and risk mitigation.

The role combines strategic sourcing with hands-on stakeholder engagement. It is a secondment for 40 hours per week, with hybrid work and a one-year initial term, possibly extending to a permanent contract.

Qualifications

• Dutch HBO degree (bachelor's level) or equivalent working and thinking level.
• Several years' experience in procurement, sourcing or category management.
• Experience with indirect categories such as IT, professional services, facilities or contingent labour.
• Strong negotiation and supplier management skills.
• Analytical insight, with experience in spend analysis and cost optimisation.
• The ability to work independently within an international matrix organisation.
• Excellent written and spoken English (required); Dutch is an advantage.
• A background in a technical or manufacturing environment is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for your assigned indirect categories.
• Lead supplier selection, tender and RFQ processes.
• Negotiate commercial agreements, framework contracts and service agreements.
• Manage supplier relationships and drive supplier performance.
• Identify savings opportunities and contribute to improvement initiatives within the procurement department.
• Monitor supplier risk and safeguard business continuity across critical service categories.
• Work with internal stakeholders to translate procurement needs into concrete solutions.
• Report on spend, savings and supplier performance.

Skills

Procurement experience

Negotiation

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Supplier management

English proficiency

Education

Dutch HBO degree (bachelor's level)

Job description

The client

A project-driven (engineer-to-order) high-tech company of around 250 employees, based in the Leiden region and part of a large multinational. Three to four projects run in parallel, known internally as "Programmes".

The department

Procurement is led by the Head of Procurement, who reports to the Director of Programmes. The Project Managers, QA and Engineering also report to the Director of Programmes. The procurement team consists of:

• 4 Program Supply Managers
• 3 Commodity Buyers (one of which is this vacancy)
• 2 Operational Buyers

The Program Supply Managers act as the interface between the programmes and the procurement department. Total spend is approximately €50 million.

The role

As Commodity Buyer Indirect Spend, you are responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies for indirect procurement categories — professional services, consultancy, IT services, facilities, contingent labour, logistics services and other supporting functions.

You act as a strategic business partner to internal stakeholders and create value through effective supplier management, contract negotiation, cost optimisation and risk mitigation. You report to the Head of Procurement and work closely with line managers, functional owners and suppliers in an international environment.

What you'll do

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for your assigned indirect categories
• Lead supplier selection, tender and RFQ processes
• Negotiate commercial agreements, framework contracts and service agreements
• Manage supplier relationships and drive supplier performance
• Identify savings opportunities and contribute to improvement initiatives within the procurement department
• Monitor supplier risk and safeguard business continuity across critical service categories
• Work with internal stakeholders to translate procurement needs into concrete solutions
• Report on spend, savings and supplier performance

Your profile

You are commercially driven, analytically strong, and able to build good relationships at every level of an organisation. You enjoy combining strategic sourcing work with hands‑on stakeholder engagement.

You have:

• A Dutch HBO degree (bachelor's level) or equivalent working and thinking level
• Several years' experience in procurement, sourcing or category management
• Experience with indirect categories such as IT, professional services, facilities or contingent labour
• Strong negotiation and supplier management skills
• Analytical insight, with experience in spend analysis and cost optimisation
• The ability to work independently within an international matrix organisation
• Excellent written and spoken English (required); Dutch is an advantage
• A background in a technical or manufacturing environment is a plus

The assignment

This is a secondment assignment for 40 hours per week, with hybrid working possible. The initial term is one year, with the possibility of a permanent contract afterwards. Start date: as soon as possible.

The salary ranges from €82,000 to €90,000 gross per year on a full-time basis, depending on experience.