Lead Buyer, Packaging

Talent Supply 360 AB; Stockholms kommun; On-site; SEK 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Talent Supply is recruiting a Lead Buyer to join the central sourcing organisation of a large manufacturing group in Stockholm. You will lead packaging sourcing projects across multiple production sites, translating supplier decisions into tangible improvements on the shop floor and bottom line.

You will work with an experienced Category Manager and cross-functional teams, owning sub-categories and driving end-to-end tenders, negotiations and implementation.

Qualifications

• Experience in strategic sourcing and end-to-end procurement.
• Ability to lead multi-site sourcing projects and negotiate contracts.
• Strong analytical and stakeholder-management skills in manufacturing contexts.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end sourcing projects: market and cost-driver analysis, supplier mapping, tendering, evaluation, negotiation and implementation.
• Take independent ownership of packaging sub-categories.
• Develop sub-category strategies aligned with overall procurement direction.
• Drive supplier changes through qualification, site coordination and implementation.
• Build productive supplier relationships focusing on cost, quality, resilience and sustainability.
• Collaborate on documentation, packaging requirements and regulatory expectations.
• Create alignment across management, quality, finance, engineering and production teams.
• Maintain accurate price, contract and supplier data in ERP systems.

Skills

Sourcing

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder management

Education

University degree in business, engineering, law, supply chain

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Some procurement roles end once the category strategy is approved. In this role, that’s where the real work begins.

Talent Supply is retained on a search for a Lead Buyer to join the central sourcing organisation of a large, established manufacturing group. You will work at group level across several production sites, while staying close enough to operations to turn sourcing decisions into real change.

This is a hands-on strategic sourcing role for someone who wants more than coordination and reporting. You will lead sourcing projects from analysis to signed agreement, and stay involved through all the steps. The stakeholder landscape can be complex, and you will need to build commitment across functions and sites, but there is a genuine mandate to move the category forward.

The opportunity

Packaging is a business-critical direct category. It influences production efficiency, product quality, compliance, sustainability and how the end customer experiences the product. This places procurement at the centre of important commercial and operational decisions.

You will join a dedicated packaging team within a central sourcing function that coordinates procurement across multiple businesses and sites. Your portfolio may include paper-based materials, cardboard and corrugated solutions, secondary packaging, plastics, barrier-plastic solutions and related packaging materials. The exact division of sub-categories and countries can evolve as the team develops.

You will work closely with an experienced Category Manager and other Lead Buyers. All aspects of operative purchasing and planning processes are handled on the site level (production units are located in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark). The role offers room to shape how the assigned categories are managed and to grow into broader category responsibility over time.

What you will do

• Lead end-to-end sourcing projects: market and cost-driver analysis, supplier mapping, RFX/tendering, commercial evaluation, negotiation, contracting and implementation.
• Take independent ownership of assigned packaging sub-categories.
• Contribute to and develop sub-category strategies aligned with the wider procurement direction.
• Drive supplier changes through the full process, not only the commercial decision, but also qualification, site coordination and operational follow-through.
• Build productive supplier relationships and identify opportunities related to cost, quality, resilience, innovation and sustainability.
• Work with suppliers and internal specialists on documentation, packaging requirements and evolving regulatory expectations.
• Create alignment across management, quality, finance, engineering, production, planning and local site teams.
• Maintain reliable price, contract and supplier information in relevant ERP and procurement systems.

What will make you successful

The essential requirement is that you understand how to execute strategic sourcing activities. You can structure a sourcing project, challenge requirements, analyse a supplier market, negotiate commercial and contractual terms and bring an agreement through to implementation.

Direct packaging experience is the ideal background, but it is not the only route into the role. You may also come from an adjacent direct-material category where production methods, raw-material cycles, technical specifications and supplier cost drivers are central to the sourcing logic.

Relevant experience could come from areas such as:

• Packaging materials or packaging components
• Paper, board, corrugated or forest-based products
• Plastics, polymers, films or barrier materials
• Food, FMCG or private-label manufacturing
• Chemicals, process industry or other high-volume manufacturing
• Raw-material procurement, technical sourcing or cost engineering

Whichever route you come from, you need to be curious about how materials are produced, converted and used on the production line.

Your profile

• Relevant procurement or sourcing experience, with exposure to negotiations and contracts.
• Experience of leading sourcing activities independently, or clear readiness to step up from a tactical or project-buying role.
• Commercial judgement combined with a practical understanding of manufacturing and operational dependencies.
• Confidence working with stakeholders at every level, from senior management to specialists and shop-floor teams.
• A structured and analytical approach, without losing speed or becoming overly theoretical.
• The persistence to navigate a multi-site organisation, build support and keep implementation moving.
• Professional communication skills in Swedish and English.
• A relevant university degree in business, engineering, law, supply chain or a similar field is advantageous.

This is likely to suit a strategic buyer, project buyer, technically oriented buyer or experienced tactical buyer ready for broader ownership.

Why consider this role

• Real implementation mandate: You will not stop at recommendations; you will be involved until the sourcing decision works in practice.
• Visible business impact: Packaging affects cost, production, quality, sustainability and the customer experience.
• Group-level scope with operational proximity: You gain breadth across multiple sites without becoming disconnected from the business.
• Room to shape the category: The organisation is developing, and the right person can influence both ways of working and future sub-category ownership.
• A strong development platform: You can deepen your packaging expertise, broaden your strategic sourcing capability and grow toward larger category responsibility.
• Experienced colleagues: You join a dedicated category environment where knowledge is shared and initiative is expected.

Location and way of working

The role is based in Stockholm. The company values in-person collaboration and expects regular presence in its central, modern and highly collaborative office. This is not a remote position, and you should live within practical commuting distance of Central Stockholm.

Travel is occasional, typically a few days per month to production sites or suppliers, with somewhat more travel during onboarding while you build knowledge of the operations and key stakeholders.