Senior Buyer

Real; Nijmegen; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Real is seeking a Senior Buyer Raw Materials in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, on-site for a 1-year contract (also open for freelance) with full-time responsibilities. You will manage an annual spend of about €30 million and shape sourcing strategies for our Infant Nutrition business.

You will negotiate with suppliers, drive cost savings, manage supplier performance, and coordinate with Procurement, Finance, Planning and Quality to ensure continuity, risk management, and value creation across the

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field (Procurement/Supply Chain/Logistics)
• 5+ years of procurement experience in food, nutrition, pharma, FMCG or manufacturing
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for raw materials
• Maintain strong supplier relationships and ensure continuity of supply
• Lead commercial negotiations and deliver cost savings initiatives
• Manage RFQ processes and contract negotiations
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders (Finance, Planning, Quality, R&D) to align procurement with business goals

Skills

English communication

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Procurement

Supply chain

Education

Bachelor's/Master's in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, or related field

Job description

Senior Buyer Raw Materials

Location: Nijmegen, The Netherlands, 3 days on-site Contract: 1 year, also open for freelance

Full-time

Are you an experienced procurement professional with a passion for strategic sourcing, supplier management, and driving business value? Do you thrive in an international environment where collaboration, innovation, and commercial impact go hand in hand? Then we are looking for you.

As Senior Buyer Raw Materials, you will play a key role in optimizing our raw material portfolio and securing a reliable, cost-effective supply chain. Managing an annual spend of approximately €30 million, you will contribute directly to profitability, supply assurance, and innovation within our Infant Nutrition business.

Working closely with suppliers and cross-functional stakeholders across Procurement, Finance, Planning, Quality, R&D, Marketing, Manufacturing, and TPM, you will help shape sourcing strategies and deliver sustainable value throughout the organization. [6 Group Di...r RM Draft | Word]

What will you do?

As Senior Buyer, you will be responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies while maintaining strong supplier relationships and ensuring continuity of supply.

Your key responsibilities include:

• Leading commercial negotiations and delivering cost savings initiatives
• Managing supplier relationships and driving supplier performance improvements
• Developing sourcing strategies for assigned raw material categories
• Conducting market analysis and commodity risk assessments
• Managing RFQ processes and contract negotiations
• Identifying opportunities for cost optimization and productivity improvements
• Ensuring supply continuity through proactive risk management and contingency planning
• Driving procurement-related projects, including NPD launches and productivity initiatives
• Collaborating closely with internal stakeholders to align procurement strategies with business objectives
• Scouting and evaluating new suppliers and innovation opportunities within the market
• Supporting digitalization and continuous improvement of procurement processes
• Managing supplier claims and ensuring timely resolution of commercial and operational issues [6 Group Di...r RM Draft | Word]

What do you bring?

We are looking for a commercially minded procurement professional who combines strong analytical capabilities with excellent stakeholder management skills.

You have:

• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, or a related field
• At least 5 years of relevant procurement experience
• Experience within the food, nutrition, pharmaceutical, FMCG, or manufacturing industry is highly preferred
• Proven experience in direct and/or indirect procurement
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills
• Experience managing suppliers and working with cross-functional stakeholders
• A proactive, entrepreneurial mindset with strong problem-solving abilities
• The ability to work independently while building strong relationships across the organization
• Excellent communication skills in English, both written and verbal
• Knowledge of Chinese and/or Dutch is considered an advantage

What makes you successful?

You are someone who:

• Takes ownership and consistently delivers results
• Acts with integrity and builds trust through transparent communication
• Thrives in a fast-paced, international environment
• Embraces innovation and continuously looks for better ways of working
• Builds strong partnerships internally and externally
• Is open-minded, collaborative, and values diversity of thought and culture
• Balances commercial objectives with quality, compliance, and sustainability requirements