Strategic Sourcing Manager

DSJ Global; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading logistics company is seeking a Strategic Sourcing Manager to manage the end-to-end sourcing and lifecycle of airport ground service equipment. This role includes developing transport and warehouse sourcing strategies, leading sourcing activities for high loaders and trucks, and managing supplier relationships. Candidates should possess a university degree and 4-7+ years of relevant experience, with strong skills in negotiations and logistics sourcing. Fluent English is required, and knowledge of additional European languages is a plus.

Qualifications

• 4–7+ years of experience in strategic sourcing or category management.
• Experience with RFQs/RFPs, negotiations, and contract management.
• Strong understanding of maintenance, uptime, and operational requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional sourcing activities for airport ground equipment.
• Develop and execute transport and warehouse sourcing strategy.
• Analyze transport spend and identify savings opportunities.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Logistics sourcing

Negotiations

Analytical skills

Stakeholder communication

Education

University degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s)

Job description

We are looking for a Strategic Sourcing Manager to own the end-to-end sourcing and lifecycle management of airport ground service equipment used in aircraft servicing operations. The role focuses on high loaders, trucks, trailers, and related special-purpose vehicles, and covers the full lifecycle: sourcing, commercial structuring, fleet strategy, maintenance concepts, and cost optimization.

We are deliberately open to candidates from different backgrounds — including strategic sourcing, logistics procurement, fleet management, or commercial/sales roles with equipment manufacturers or service providers — as long as you bring strong commercial judgment and a lifecycle mindset.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead regional sourcing activities for airport ground equipment (high loaders, trucks, trailers, fleet solutions).
• Develop and execute the transport and warehouse sourcing strategy, with strong emphasis on:
• Road transport (linehaul, local distribution, airport transfers).
• Air freight and courier services.
• Time-critical and airport-constrained logistics solutions.
• Warehouse specialized in frozen, chilled and ambient products.
• Analyze transport spend, lanes, and cost drivers to identify savings and optimization opportunities.
• Prepare and run strategic sourcing events (RFI, RFP, negotiations, eAuctions where applicable).
• Structure and negotiate commercial models (purchase, leasing, lease-to-own, service-inclusive models).
• Own the full asset lifecycle from specification to end-of-life.
• Optimize total cost of ownership (TCO) across capex, maintenance, servicing, and downtime.
• Work with engineering and operations to standardize specifications and reduce fleet complexity.
• Shape servicing, maintenance, and spare-parts strategies.
• Manage regional supplier relationships (OEMs, dealers, leasing companies, service providers).
• Partner closely with airport operations, engineering, safety, and finance teams.
• Ensure compliance with local regulations, airport standards, and safety requirements.
• Act as the commercial interface between internal stakeholders and external partners.

Requirements

• University degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s) or equivalent professional experience.
• 4–7+ years of experience in:
• Strategic sourcing or category management experience.
• Logistics sourcing, fleet sourcing, or heavy equipment categories.
• Experience with RFQs/RFPs, negotiations, and contract management.
• Experience managing or sourcing vehicle fleets or logistics assets.
• Strong understanding of maintenance, uptime, and operational requirements.
• Exposure to TCO-driven decision-making.
• Strong exposure to road transport and time-critical logistics; air freight experience is a plus.
• Experience in aviation, food logistics, FMCG, or similarly operationally intensive environments is highly desirable.
• Solid understanding of transportation markets, pricing mechanisms, and cost drivers.
• Strong analytical and stakeholder communication skills.
• Comfortable working in international, matrix-driven organizations.
• Fluent in English, French, German or another European language is an advantage.
• Execution-oriented with a strong operational mindset.
• Structured, pragmatic, and resilient in fast-paced environments.
• Curious and motivated to deepen transportation and logistics expertise in an aviation context.