Head of Procurement

About the position

 Lead and continuously improve procurement across GEA Africa, ensuring compliant, commercially competitive, timely and sustainable sourcing for projects, operations and Service. Own local implementation of the GEA Procurement Operating Model (POM), governance, SOPs, performance management and procurement transformation; develop the procurement team and provide functional oversight to procurement colleagues embedded in other divisions.

Your responsibilities and tasks

1. PROCUREMENT STRATEGY, OPERATING MODEL & LEADERSHIP

• Translate global/regional procurement policies and category strategies into a documented local roadmap, annual objectives, clear accountabilities and implementation plans.

• Lead Strategic Buyers, Operational Buyers, Project Procurement Managers/Project Buyers and relevant procurement support roles in the approved reporting structure; define capacity, workload, succession, development and performance expectations.

• Clarify hand-offs, thresholds and escalation paths between Global Category Managers (not locally employed), Strategic Buyers, Operational Buyers, Project Procurement Managers and Project Buyers; prevent duplicate sourcing and ensure category alignment.

• Provide functional guidance and dotted-line oversight to Service and other divisionally embedded procurement personnel: common SOPs, induction, coaching, competency assessments, periodic process reviews and corrective actions, without displacing their line managers.

• Partner with the Head of Supply Chain, global procurement, division leaders, project execution, Service, Finance and Engineering to prioritize supply risks and business needs.

2. PROCUREMENT GOVERNANCE, POLICY & CONTROLS

• Own local procurement SOPs, work instructions, RACI, delegated authorities, tender/RFQ thresholds, competitive-bidding rules, exceptions, supplier onboarding, PO controls and contract repositories in accordance with GEA standards.

• Monitor compliance through sample reviews, exception reporting, process audits and documented corrective-action tracking; maintain segregation of duties and escalate material breaches promptly.

• Oversee supplier, material and purchasing-price master-data governance, access rights, preferred-source usage and data quality, with responsible process owners.

• Embed applicable legal, ethical, anti-bribery, sanctions, B-BBEE and sustainability requirements in procurement processes, in consultation with Compliance/Legal and local specialists.

 3. SOURCING, CONTRACTS & SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT

• Direct sourcing plans, RFx, bid evaluation, negotiations, supplier selection and contracting within the relevant approval framework; support high-value and high-risk negotiations and dispute resolution.

• Coordinate with Global Category Managers on category strategy, framework agreements, supplier consolidation and cross-entity opportunities; avoid assuming the global Category Manager mandate locally.

• Implement supplier segmentation, scorecards, business reviews, delivery/quality improvement plans, supplier risk assessments and escalation procedures.

• Evaluate total cost of ownership, commercial terms, payment terms, FX, duties, freight, lead times, inventory exposure and continuity risks; deliver validated savings and cost avoidance with Finance.

• Ensure project procurement plans, supplier commitments and expediting priorities are aligned with project milestones, engineering and operational requirements.

4. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, DATA & PROCUREMENT EXCELLENCE

• Define, maintain and review a monthly KPI dashboard with owners, targets, trends and corrective actions: savings and cost avoidance, on-time delivery, overdue POs, sourcing cycle time, contract coverage, preferred-supplier spend, compliance, supplier quality, master-data quality and training completion.

• Generate actionable spend/category analysis, supplier concentration and market intelligence (raw materials, FX, freight and inflation) for leadership and sourcing decisions.

• Lead continuous improvement and transformation projects across source-to-pay (S2P): process mapping, digital adoption, controls, governance, stakeholder communication, change management and benefit tracking.

• Champion sustainable procurement, supplier due diligence, responsible sourcing and transparent procurement communications; coordinate initiatives with global Procurement Excellence teams.

• Conduct structured monthly operating reviews and quarterly improvement-roadmap reviews, escalating overdue decisions and implementation barriers.

5. SAP S/4HANA AND DIGITAL PROCUREMENT READINESS

• Act as accountable procurement functional lead for SAP rollout readiness and adoption, while the designated procurement key user owns detailed configuration/testing execution.

• Hold regular documented check-ins with the procurement key user and program team; review process fit, gaps, test progress, training, capacity, readiness milestones, risks and open actions.

• Ensure accountable owners complete supplier/material/pricing data cleansing, process documentation, authorizations, user acceptance testing, training and cutover preparation; escalate gaps early.

• Coordinate procurement business resources and support post-go-live stabilization, defect prioritization, control validation and adoption KPIs.

6. TEAM, STAKEHOLDERS AND EXECUTION

• Establish role-based training, coaching, cross-training and development plans for direct and dotted-line procurement staff, and monitor application of SOPs in daily transactions.

• Balance operational service levels with governance and strategic improvements; intervene in material delivery, sourcing, contract or supplier escalations.

• Prepare concise management reporting, annual plans, budgets and procurement risk registers; manage allocated cost center within approved authority.

• Maintain effective relationships with auditors, suppliers and internal stakeholders, and foster an accountable, collaborative and ethical procurement culture.

• Lead, motivate, coach and develop the procurement team, fostering a collaborative, high-performing environment with clear responsibilities, accountability and individual development plans.

• Promote teamwork, employee engagement and knowledge sharing across the procurement function, including functional support to procurement personnel within the Service Department.

• Identify skills gaps, implement appropriate training and development initiatives, and encourage continuous improvement and succession planning.

Your profile and qualifications

Educational Background:

• Relevant degree/diploma in Procurement, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Logistics or Commerce.
• CIPS/MCIPS or equivalent professional qualification advantageous.

Professional Knowledge and Experiences:

• 7+ years relevant procurement experience, including 3+ years leading people or a procurement function (proposed selection criteria).
• Demonstrated sourcing, supplier management, contract negotiation, governance and project procurement experience.
• ERP/SAP and procurement analytics experience; S/4HANA rollout exposure advantageous.

• Industrial engineering, manufacturing or project-based environment knowledge is beneficial.

Other Skills & Competencies:

• Strong leadership, coaching and cross-functional influence, including matrix teams.
• Commercial judgement, analytical ability, financial literacy and negotiation.
• SOP design, internal controls, KPI management and process improvement.

• Change/project management, stakeholder communication and escalation.

• High integrity, organized execution and proficiency in English.

• People leadership and team motivation: proven ability to engage, inspire, coach and develop employees, encourage teamwork and knowledge sharing, and build an accountable, collaborative and high-performing procurement team.
  

About GEA

GEA is one of the largest suppliers for the food and beverage processing industry and a wide range of other process industries. Approximately 18,000 employees in more than 60 countries contribute significantly to GEA’s success – come and join them! We offer interesting and challenging tasks, a positive working environment in international teams and opportunities for personal development and growth in a global company.

Why join GEA

GEA is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will therefore receive consideration for employment without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, world view, national origin, genetics, disability, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other protected characteristic required by applicable law. Applicants with disabilities are welcome and will be given special consideration if they are equally qualified.

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Strategischen Einkäufer (m/w/d) (80-100%)

Standort: Kirchberg BE Pensum: 80-100% Bereich: Einkauf / Supply Chain Management

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