Manager, Logistics Procurement Eastern Europe

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement sourcing strategies for road transportation, warehouses and terminals and other value added services (customs / brokerage / shipping agency)
• Execute regional and local RFQs, tenders and contract negotiations in line with the YEU / YIS business requirements.
• Analyze market trends, freight cost fluctuations, capacity developments, and logistics cost drivers + Communicate transparently to key stakeholders per region.
• Identify procurement synergies across Business Units and countries.
• Internal stakeholder management (commercial orgs - plant - TO - EBS - HESQ - GPO) and act as pivotal sparring partner for all stakeholders
• Build regional supplier panels and optimize Yara's logistical footprint in Eastern-Europe.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Manage strategic relationships with logistics service providers.
• Conduct business reviews and performance evaluations in collaboration with operational teams (TO / EBS)
• Develop supplier improvement plans and follow-up.
• Ensure supplier compliance with contractual obligations, safety requirements, Ethics&Compliance and overall Yara Standards.
• Support supplier innovation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Negotiate commercial terms and service agreements and ensure these are respected throughout contract execution
• Contract governance (Coverage - CMS)
• Deliver annual savings and cost avoidance targets.
• Identify logistics improvements and network optimization opportunities. --> Be a sparring partner for regional YEU / YIS commercial teams
• Contribution to annual BP Business planning
• Drive supplier sustainability programs. (Ethical - Social - Governance) via Ecovadis or other sustainability assessments.
• Participate in supplier audits when required. (Supplier risk management)
• Participate in internal and/or external audits when required (GMP+ umbrella certificate / DNV audits / ISO audits)
• System use: Utilize SAP, SIEVO, Power BI and procurement tools to support decision making.
• Contribute to the readiness of Infrastructure in terms of systems and SAP (Development of the new Logistics module in S/4 Hana)
• Be first in line in times of escalation (transport capacity shortage / bagging capacities / ah hoc business needs / etc)
• Create optimal capacity/service/cost scenarios for EBS to have optimal execution

Profile

Education: Bachelor's or Masters's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Procurement, Business Administration, or a related field. Professional certifications (e.g. CIPS, CPSM, APICS) are considered an advantage.

Work Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience in logistics, transport procurement, or supply chain management, with significant exposure to warehouse and transportation. Experience in multi-country or regional logistics environments.

Digital Skills: SAP; SIEVO; Power BI; CMS Contract Management; Advanced Excel; Analytical tools

Hard Skills:

• Strong contract negotiation and supplier management skills. Advanced analytical and cost management capabilities. Strong financial acumen with ability to manage budgets, savings tracking and cost optimization. Proficiency in Procurement tools, ERP systems and Microsoft office.
• Demonstrated expertise in contract negotiation, supplier management, procurement strategy execution and knowledge of local road/storage legislation and ADR regulation
• Able to calculate TCO, solid analytical skills to model costs, benchmark rates, and support data-driven sourcing decisions
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with ERP or procurement systems.
• Excellent communication in the local language and English (written and spoken)

Soft Skills:

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills — able to engage effectively across commercial, operational, and finance functions.
• Initiator new logistics solution development in collaboration with client and relevant internal stakeholders

Behavioral Competencies: Strategic Thinking; Stakeholder Management; Negotiation & Influencing; Analytical Problem Solving; Collaboration Across Functions; Continuous Improvement Mindset

Other Knowledge: Strong understanding of the regional road markets, freight market dynamics, and terminal/warehouse operations.

Other requirements: Willingness to travel within the region as required by operational and supplier management activities.