Senior Buyer - Raw Materials Procurement · Mead Johnson Nijmegen

Mead Johnson Nijmegen; Netherlands; Remote; EUR 63,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan

Bonus plan

Collective health insurance

Job summary

Mead Johnson Nijmegen is seeking a Senior Buyer Raw Materials to manage a strategic raw materials portfolio and secure supply for the Greater China Infant Nutrition business. You will negotiate with suppliers, lead RFQ processes, and partner with manufacturing, quality, planning, finance, and R&D to ensure material availability at the right cost and quality.

The role offers leadership in procurement strategy, risk management and supplier performance, within an international environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Logistics or Business Administration.
• At least 5 years of experience in procurement, sourcing or category management.
• Experience in food, nutrition, pharmaceutical, FMCG or manufacturing environments.
• Proven track record in supplier negotiations and contract management.
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional influence.
• Experience managing supplier relationships and driving performance.
• Knowledge of supply chain risk management and sourcing strategies.
• Analytical with procurement systems/digital tools.
• Entrepreneurial, proactive mindset with continuous improvement mindset.
• Excellent English; Dutch/Chinese a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop sourcing strategies for assigned raw material categories.
• Lead commercial negotiations and contract management.
• Drive cost optimization and productivity without compromising quality.
• Manage supplier relationships and performance reviews.
• Identify and mitigate supply chain, commodity, and market risks.
• Lead RFQ processes and evaluate sourcing opportunities.
• Monitor global market developments and supplier capabilities.
• Support new product introductions with R&D and cross-functional teams.
• Resolve supplier issues and lead claim management.
• Use data and procurement tools to improve decisions.
• Influence stakeholders to align procurement with business priorities.

Skills

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Sourcing strategies

Data analytics

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Logistics or Business Administration

Tools

Procurement systems

Digital tools

Job description

Are you ready for a new step in your career?

Mead Johnson Nutrition is a long-standing multinational brand specializing in infant and child nutrition. Our company vision is to become the world's leading provider of scientifically backed child nutrition and specialized food products and services. At Mead Johnson Nutrition, we are deeply committed to creating nutritional brands and products that give babies and children the best start in life. With over 450 employees, our Nijmegen factory produces super-premium child nutrition for the largest market in the world, Greater China. Quality, reliability, innovation, and ethics are core values at Mead Johnson.

At Mead Johnson Nutrition, procurement is far more than purchasing. It is about securing critical ingredients, building strategic supplier partnerships, driving innovation, managing risk, and creating value across a global supply network.

We are looking for a commercially driven Senior Buyer Raw Materials who thrives in a dynamic international environment and enjoys making an impact through smart sourcing decisions. If you are passionate about negotiations, supplier management, market intelligence and business partnering, this is an opportunity to influence both operational performance and long-term strategy.

What will you do?

As Senior Buyer Raw Materials, you will be responsible for a strategic raw materials portfolio with an annual spend of approximately €30 million. Your work will directly influence supply continuity, cost competitiveness and product quality across the Greater China Infant Nutrition business.

You will partner closely with suppliers, manufacturing, quality, planning, finance, R&D and marketing teams to ensure the right materials are available at the right time, at the right cost and quality.

Your responsibilities include:

• Developing and executing sourcing strategies for assigned raw material categories.
• Leading commercial negotiations and supplier contract management.
• Driving cost optimization and productivity initiatives without compromising quality or supply security.
• Managing supplier relationships and conducting performance reviews to improve service, quality and reliability.
• Identifying and mitigating supply chain, commodity and market risks.
• Leading RFQ processes and evaluating alternative sourcing opportunities.
• Monitoring global market developments, supplier capabilities and emerging technologies.
• Supporting new product introductions and innovation projects in collaboration with R&D and cross-functional teams.
• Resolving supplier-related issues and leading claim management activities.
• Using data, analytics and procurement tools to improve decision-making and procurement performance.
• Influencing stakeholders across the business and ensuring alignment between procurement strategies and business priorities.

This is a highly visible role that combines commercial ownership, strategic thinking and operational execution.

Why this role is exciting

Procurement has become one of the most impactful functions in modern manufacturing. As Senior Buyer, you'll work at the intersection of supply chain, nutrition, innovation and business strategy. Your decisions will directly influence profitability, supply continuity and innovation pipelines in an international environment.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Manage a strategically important category with significant business impact.
• Build partnerships with global suppliers and industry leaders.
• Lead negotiations that directly influence business performance.
• Identify new suppliers, technologies and innovation opportunities.
• Play a key role in product innovation and future growth initiatives.
• Develop expertise in global commodity markets and supply chain risk management.
• Influence procurement strategy while maintaining close involvement in execution.

Who are you?

You are commercially minded, analytical and naturally curious about markets, suppliers and business opportunities. You enjoy negotiating, building relationships and finding creative solutions to complex supply chain challenges.

You bring:

• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Logistics or Business Administration.
• At least 5 years of experience in procurement, sourcing or category management.
• Experience within food, nutrition, pharmaceutical, FMCG or other manufacturing environments is highly desirable.
• A proven track record in supplier negotiations and commercial contract management.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence cross-functional teams.
• Experience managing supplier relationships and driving performance improvements.
• Knowledge of supply chain risk management and sourcing strategies.
• Strong analytical capabilities and confidence working with procurement systems and digital tools.
• An entrepreneurial and proactive mindset with a passion for continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication skills in English. Dutch and/or Chinese language skills are considered a plus.

What makes you successful?

The most successful candidates combine strategic thinking with action.

You challenge existing ways of working, identify opportunities where others see obstacles, and build trusted partnerships internally and externally. You balance cost, quality, service and risk while always keeping the business objective in mind.

You are comfortable working in an international environment and can effectively navigate complex stakeholder landscapes across Europe and China.

What do we offer?

An inspiring and innovative work environment where you can develop your career and sharpen your skills in a motivated and professional team. A fulltime contract with excellent working conditions and a competitive annual base salary (incl. 8% holiday allowance) of €63K - €90K, depending on knowledge and experience. Mead Johnson has a 40-hour working week. We also offer you a good pension plan, a interesting bonus plan, collective health insurance benefits and opportunities for professional development.

Will you take the next step?

Applying for a VOG may be part of the recruitment process.