Strategic Procurement Manager

Company Description

Are you passionate about turning complex business needs into smart, value‑driven sourcing strategies and enjoy working at the intersection of media, digital, IT, and marketing?

Join our Strategic Procurement Media team as a Strategic Procurement Manager and become a trusted partner to internal stakeholders, shaping demand, defining sourcing strategies, and driving high‑impact supplier collaborations across the globe.

In this role, you’ll combine sharp commercial acumen with strategic thinking – from leading key negotiations and optimizing supplier portfolios to embedding ESG principles and improving transparency, compliance, and overall value for the business.

Job Description

Business Partnering
Act as a trusted sparring partner to media stakeholders on strategic procurement topics, providing insights and recommendations for fact‑based decisions. Engage early with budget owners, using commercial methodologies, scenario analyses, and structured negotiation approaches to maximize budget value. Collaborate closely with stakeholders to understand business needs, shape procurement strategies, and drive cross‑functional collaboration. Clearly communicate the monetary and non‑monetary value contribution of Strategic Procurement Media and position the function as a strategic, value‑creating partner.

Strategic Sourcing
Work closely with stakeholders to identify improvement opportunities and define strategic sourcing initiatives and negotiation plans. Set sourcing objectives, approaches, and negotiation strategies aligned with overall business and category strategies. Lead or contribute to tenders (RFX), cost benchmarking, and supplier negotiations, ensuring transparent, fact‑based decisions. Execute sourcing initiatives in line with established procurement standards, frameworks, and systems.

Governance, Compliance & ESG
Embed ESG (environmental, social, governance) requirements into procurement processes, including sourcing and supplier management. Ensure alignment with global guidelines in close cooperation with internal stakeholders. Actively promote ESG principles and ensure initiatives meet high environmental and social responsibility standards.

Supplier Relationship Management
Drive the implementation of the standard supplier management framework by identifying, qualifying, and developing suppliers in line with media business requirements. Identify opportunities to harmonize and optimize the digital supplier portfolio. Develop and execute supplier strategies, including contract negotiations, performance measurement, due diligence, and risk management. Lead supplier transitions and transformation initiatives and drive innovation across the supplier landscape.

Project Management
Lead and manage strategic procurement projects end‑to‑end, from scoping and business case development through execution and post‑project review. Steer cross‑functional project teams to ensure alignment on objectives, timelines, and outcomes. Define project structures, milestones, governance models, and success metrics for transparency, accountability, and on‑time delivery. Proactively manage risks, dependencies, and changes, ensuring impact on cost, quality, risk, and continuity of supply is controlled. Ensure measurable value (cost optimization, efficiency, risk mitigation, supplier development) and provide structured updates to senior management.

Data Analysis & Opportunity Identification
Analyze procurement, spend, supplier, and performance data to identify cost‑saving, efficiency, risk‑reduction, and value‑creation opportunities. Translate complex data into clear insights and actionable recommendations for sourcing decisions and management reporting. Identify trends and improvement areas in the supply base and processes and proactively propose optimization initiatives. Support projects with fact‑based analyses (business cases, scenarios, benefit tracking) and continuously monitor key procurement KPIs to ensure transparency, value realization, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

3+ years’ experience in a similar role, focus on digital products & services, media or indirect procurement would be beneficial

Excellence negotiation and analytical skills & experience in project and process management

Understanding of the digital market and state of the art procurement processes

Advanced level of Microsoft Excel skills and preferably experienced with ERP systems, SAP and Bi knowledge is seen as a plus

Be a team player, but also have confidence working independently

Proactive, self-motivated, and able to work on different projects in parallel

Solution-focused mindset and strong problem-solving thinking to develop innovative and sustainable solutions

Strong communication and presentation skills; Fluent in English (verbal & written), German is a plus

Additional Information

Due to legal reasons, we are obliged to disclose the minimum salary according to the collective agreement for this position, which is €2.362,00 gross per month. However, our attractive compensation package is based on market-oriented salaries and is therefore significantly above the stated minimum salary.

As an employer, we value diversity and support people in developing their potential and strengths, realizing their ideas and seizing opportunities. We believe passionately that employing a diverse workforce is central to our success. We welcome applications from all members of society irrespective of age, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or origin.