Strategic Purchaser at Wartsila Marine

Function: Supply Chain Management
Job Category: Support Functions

Job Description

• Currently, in our Africa Region we need to fill the gap of Strategic Purchaser to be based in one of our key business locations with the following key responsibilities.
• Drive for long-term benefits on “Total Value of Ownership”.
• Design category-based initiatives and implementation plans in alignment with the stakeholders and Business strategy and support Business to meet its growth objectives.
• Perform stakeholder need analysis, standardize regular and frequent needs, and drive for better demand planning by stakeholders.
• Perform market and trends analyses.
• Partner with the relevant stakeholders to instil cost savings, operational and process improvement practices.
• Negotiate contracts and achieve cost savings from vendors. Strive for world-class procurement, best practices, elevated use of WeBuy, and other IP tools.
• Drive supplier performance and continuous improvement programs.
• Review discrepancies in supplier performance and cost competitiveness.
• Initiate process changes to optimize costs including acquisition from new suppliers and consolidation of spend.
• Manage relationships with stakeholders to become a trusted advisor.
• Lead and implement WeBuy supplier catalog improvements to support further productivity improvement and cost reductions.
• Engage in continual communication and end-user training initiatives to drive the message of compliance.

Strategy and Operational Excellence:

• Identify sourcing needs and implement appropriate strategic sourcing process with relevant stakeholders and independently.
• Lead analysis of the market and competitive conditions and provide input to category manager, IP Regional Manager, and internal stakeholder
• Design and implement tactical action steps to execute strategy on assigned indirect category/sub-category
• Manage supplier base. Leverage spend across sub-region and region if appropriate
• Identify opportunities for consolidation of spend.
• Design and implement strategies to expand the solution footprint to other categories, geographies, and suppliers
• Identify cost and process improvement opportunities
• Coordinate strategic work with category manager and procurement center manager Acts as a key

Supplier Relationship Management:

• Manage sourcing process, content, and results in alignment with the company’s purchasing directives
• Perform supplier stability assessment,
• Select, prepare, and execute agreements, Non-Disclosure Agreements, SLA’s (Service Level Agreements),
• Data Protection Act, and related documentation.
• Manage and enhance the relationship with Key or selected suppliers in an innovative way to maximize value
• Develops world-class supplier relationships to ensure that maximum value is delivered to the business.
• Monitor compliance of purchasing directives, and escalate non-compliance to appropriate
• managers/directors for further guidance and appropriate remedial action
• Follow up and analyze supplier performance via Supplier Relationship Management and Vendor
• Management System, implementing the preventive and corrective action plan for low-performance suppliers
• WeBuy Catalog creation, implementation, updating, and improvements, together with WSSC IP OP

Relationship Management:

• Manage relationships with key stakeholders to develop and implement effective sourcing strategies for the
• assigned categories to ensure the quality of supply and improved value to the company.
• Build strong rapport with stakeholders and local Key suppliers
• Collaborate closely with stakeholders to ensure understanding and compliance with purchasing directives
• and strategies Control and escalate recurring urgencies with internal stakeholder requests
• Collaborate with Category Managers, IP Regional, and IP Sub Regional Manager, Wartsila Shared Services
• Center (WSSC) Operative purchasing team.

Indirect Purchasing KPIs
Responsible for IP KPIs and PPIs in the assigned category, in collaboration with Wartsila Shared Services Center Indirect Purchasing, such as:

• WeBuy PO Coverage
• Contract coverage
• VMS Supplier Rating
• Payment Days
• Savings Tracker
• PO Coverage (PPI)
• DPA/ECMC coverage (PPI)
• Number of vendors (PPI)
• Define and implement necessary corrective actions as needed

Desired Education and Skills

• Degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, or equivalent combination of education with relevant experience.
• Knowledge of English compulsory
• Member of a Professional Body
• In-depth knowledge of IP Tools (SAP, WeBuy, PowerBI, and M-Files)

Experience and Ability:

• 5+ years of progressive experience in Strategic Sourcing and Procurement
• Knowledge of best practice within Supply Chain and Purchasing
• Innovative,  Self-driven and results oriented
• The ability to deal with senior stakeholders and difficult situations outside one’s comfort zone
• Global outlook and exposure to different challenges, cultures, and ways of working