Senior Category Buyer Precision Machining

Frencken; Eindhoven; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Frencken in Eindhoven is seeking an experienced Category Buyer – Precision Machining to shape our global supply chain. You will drive category strategy and collaborate across engineering, operations, and quality to optimize technology, cost, and supply continuity.

You'll build long-term supplier partnerships, lead negotiations, and champion continuous improvement, while ensuring risk is managed and supplier performance is monitored.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of strategic procurement or category management experience, preferably within Precision Machining.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or a related technical discipline.
• Proven experience sourcing complex machined components within a high-tech manufacturing environment.
• Strong commercial acumen with extensive experience in supplier negotiations and contract management.

Responsibilities

• Co-develop and execute the short- and long-term category strategy together with the GCM and the global Category Team.
• Partner closely with Procurement Program Leads (PPLs) and multidisciplinary Program Teams to support business priorities, including supply continuity, cost optimization, quality improvement, and technology advancement.
• Act as the primary commercial interface for strategic suppliers, building strong and sustainable partnerships.
• Lead commercial discussions, contract negotiations, and supplier agreements to achieve the best commercial and technical outcomes.
• Conduct regular supplier business reviews, monitor supplier performance, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction, value engineering, and supply chain optimization while mitigating commercial, operational, and quality risks.
• Develop and strengthen the supplier base by scouting, qualifying, and onboarding new suppliers, while phasing out underperforming or redundant suppliers where appropriate.
• Take ownership of supplier escalations and collaborate closely with Quality and Operational Procurement teams to resolve complex supply chain challenges.
• Support the execution of the global category strategy and contribute to the continuous development of procurement best practices.
• Escalate strategic issues when required to the Category Buying Manager.

Skills

Strategic procurement

Supplier negotiations

Contract management

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

Shape the Future of High-Tech Manufacturing

Are you an experienced procurement professional with a passion for precision machining and strategic supplier management? Do you thrive in a high-tech, international environment where innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement are at the heart of everything you do? Then this is your opportunity.

As a Category Buyer – Precision Machining, you play a key role in sourcing highly complex and innovative technologies for cutting-edge products and projects. Together with the Global Category Manager (GCM) and cross-functional teams, you will develop and execute the category strategy, ensuring an optimal balance between technology, cost, quality, supply continuity, and risk.

You will build (on) long-term partnerships with strategic suppliers, drive commercial excellence, and contribute directly to the success of our global supply chain.

What You’ll Be Doing

As Category Buyer, you will:

• Co-develop and execute the short- and long-term category strategy together with the GCM and the global Category Team.
• Partner closely with Procurement Program Leads (PPLs) and multidisciplinary Program Teams to support business priorities, including supply continuity, cost optimization, quality improvement, and technology advancement.
• Act as the primary commercial interface for strategic suppliers, building strong and sustainable partnerships.
• Lead commercial discussions, contract negotiations, and supplier agreements to achieve the best commercial and technical outcomes.
• Conduct regular supplier business reviews, monitor supplier performance, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction, value engineering, and supply chain optimization while mitigating commercial, operational, and quality risks.
• Develop and strengthen the supplier base by scouting, qualifying, and onboarding new suppliers, while phasing out underperforming or redundant suppliers where appropriate.
• Take ownership of supplier escalations and collaborate closely with Quality and Operational Procurement teams to resolve complex supply chain challenges.
• Support the execution of the global category strategy and contribute to the continuous development of procurement best practices.
• Escalate strategic issues when required to the Category Buying Manager.

What You Bring

You are an experienced procurement professional who combines technical understanding with strong commercial insight. You enjoy working in an international, fast-paced environment and know how to build trusted relationships while confidently challenging suppliers to achieve the best results.

You also bring:

• 5–10 years of strategic procurement or category management experience, preferably within Precision Machining.
• A Bachelor's or Master's degree (BSc, BEng or MSc) in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or a related technical discipline.
• Proven experience sourcing complex machined components within a high-tech manufacturing environment.
• Strong commercial acumen with extensive experience in supplier negotiations and contract management.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence and obtain buy-in at all organizational levels, including executive management.
• Experience in supplier relationship management and supplier performance improvement.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken.
• An entrepreneurial mindset with a collaborative, win-win approach and a drive for continuous improvement.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to make a real impact within an international high-tech organization where procurement is recognized as a strategic business partner. You’ll work with leading suppliers, contribute to innovative technologies, and collaborate with talented colleagues across engineering, operations, quality, and supply chain.

If you’re looking for a role where you can combine strategic thinking, technical expertise, and commercial leadership, we’d love to hear from you.