Purchasing Director Europe

The organisation

Our client, Lippert Components Europe, is the European organization of Lippert Components Inc., a leading American supplier of components for recreational vehicles, different transport modes and residential housing. It is a listed company with strong family values.

LCI is pursuing global growth in the mobile leisure market by replicating its North American competencies via strong growth and acquisitions of high quality and high potential suppliers which share LCI’s core values. LCI has more than 10,000 employees working together to bring innovative product solutions to the market, generating USD 2.5 billion sales. Lippert Components Europe’s business currently comprises USD 250 million, with the ambition to grow autonomously and through acquisitions to USD 700 million in the next 3 years.

The position

Some years ago, LCI started a big acquisition project in Europe to buy A-brand companies in similar businesses as in the US. At this time Lippert Components Europe consists of 8 different brands, produced in 15 locations in Italy, the UK, Ireland, Tunisia and The Netherlands. Unlike most US based listed companies, LCI strongly values entrepreneurship and autonomy for each of the acquired companies.

The European matrix organization (to be built) is supposed to support the different companies and countries in their professional development and to create synergy in the areas of Finance, Purchasing, HR and IT. With respect to purchasing, an effective European purchasing organization is to be set up, with common goals and processes. The major goals will be reducing the current spend of 140 million USD by 5% in the next 3 years as well as supporting and accommodating the growth strategy.

For this major exercise we are searching for a Purchasing Director Europe.

Tasks & responsibilities

The Purchasing Director Europe (PDE) will report to the Group President Lippert Components Europe and will be part of the European Management Team. As PDE you will lead 5 Purchase Managers, who each have their own team in their own country, reporting to their local MD. In the European organization these Purchase Managers will also have responsibility for 29 European/groupwide purchasing categories. The PDE will also coordinate with and report to the Chief Supply Chain Officer LCI.

As PDE you develop purchasing strategies together with your Purchase/Category Managers and establish and track the necessary action plans for realization. Together you will define objectives and define common processes. Software development will be necessary to establish the cooperation. When these basics are in place, time has come to further professionalize the sourcing process, developing an overall vendor base, (re)defining negotiation strategies and considering concepts like vendor managed inventory.

You will establish and maintain performance metrics for all levels of procurement activities, concerning supplier performance as well as internal performance indicators. In short, you take actions to continuously optimize the purchasing process to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the purchasing organization and make it ready for sustainable growth. This requires continuous coaching and mentoring of your team members.

Communicating and aligning with the Managing Directors in each country is another important element of your job. You will ensure that the established policies, standards and procedures are complied with by following up results and testing them against the goals set.

Candidate profile

We are looking for an experienced international Purchasing Director with a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Industrial Management or other operations/ business related studies. You need to have a solid experience in building and managing a purchasing organization for technical products within an international manufacturing environment. Especially a proven track record in building and developing a purchasing team and category management is extremely valuable. A goal getter, strong in negotiations and contracting.

You have a conceptual-analytical mindset coupled with a firm result-driven, pragmatic, down to earth approach. You have experience in building a new organization within a dynamic environment and you are able to combine a strategic pioneering focus with a hands-on attitude. You have a winning mentality and you do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. You are a person with drive, enthusiasm, curiosity and above all a good listener.

Your main office is in Rotterdam, but you need to be visibly present on all locations in Europe, which means a willingness to travel internationally (up to some weeks in a row). You have a natural interest in working with people, you are a team champion who leads by example. Your communication skills and influencing skills are excellent. You are fluent in English. German or Italian is really advantageous, Dutch to a lesser extent.

The offer

Our client offers a challenging position in a fast-growing, internationally operating company with an entrepreneurial culture and a “hands-on” mentality. A dynamic environment wherein all interesting topics that concern the supply chain in a production environment are subject to review. You are given the space to develop your vision and leave your mark, with plenty of room for you to take the initiative.

Interested?

If you are interested in this position please click the link below. For more information please contact the consultant in charge Anco de Graaf or Jan Willem Houtman, +31 346 – 87 00 20.