Senior Strategic Buyer (f/m/d)

Chem-Trend, a company of the Freudenberg Group, is a global leader in the development, manufacture, and marketing of specialized release agents, purging compounds, paper impregnation chemicals, and other process chemical specialties and additives, with manufacturing and R & D operations in North and South America, Europe, India, and Asia that are supported by its headquarters in Michigan, USA. Chem-Trend has a singular focus of providing innovative solutions for the die casting, polyurethane, rubber, composites, tire, thermoplastic, wood composite, and paper impregnation industries.

Some of your Benefits

• Cafeteria/ Canteen: We offer fresh food on-site, both hot and cold.
• Sustainability & Social Commitment: We support social and sustainable projects and encourage employee involvement.
• Personal Development: We offer a variety of trainings to ensure you can develop in your career.
• International Opportunities: Grow in your career through international exchange and global job opportunities.
• Diversity & Inclusion: We focus on providing an inclusive environment and recognize our diversity contributes to our success.

Hybrid Work

The purchasing team consists of five buyers and is responsible for sourcing direct and indirect materials, particularly for the Norderstedt production site, as well as merchandise and contract manufacturing.
To further develop our purchasing department, we are looking for you as a

Senior Strategic Buyer (f/m/d)

Responsibilities

• You are responsible for raw materials and material groups, and will work with your stakeholders to develop and implement structured product group strategies
• In addition, you analyze procurement markets, price trends, and cost structures, and use this information to develop appropriate strategies
• You select international suppliers, conduct price and contract negotiations, and ensure a stable, reliable supply
• You assess risks along the supply chain and develop appropriate measures to mitigate them
• You also work proficiently with SAP MM, optimize purchasing processes, and ensure the quality of supplier master data
• You coordinate closely with Production, Quality, Development, and Supply Chain and support cross-functional projects
• In situations of supply shortages, you maintain an overview, prioritize affected materials, and coordinate the next steps with all relevant stakeholders
• Occasional travel within Europe (approx. 3 days per month) is part of your responsibilities

Qualifications

• You have extensive practical experience in strategic procurement of direct materials, ideally in the chemical, process, or manufacturing industries
• You also have experience in developing and implementing material group or category strategies
• You have proven, advanced SAP MM skills, ideally as an SAP Key User
• Furthermore, you are proficient in market and cost analyses as well as in deriving and implementing sourcing and cost-reduction measures
• You negotiate confidently and navigate corporate and matrix structures with ease
• You work analytically and systematically and make fact-based decisions
• You act proactively, coordinate interfaces effectively, and involve relevant departments in a targeted manner
• Fluency in German (C1 or higher) and English (B2 or higher) completes your profile

The Freudenberg Group is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all applicants and associates without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.