Manager Purchasing

Viking (NYSE: VIK) is a global leader in experiential travel with a fleet of more than 100 ships, exploring 21 rivers, five oceans and all seven continents. Designed for curious travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers experiences for the Thinking Person™. Viking has more than 450 awards to its name, including being rated #1 for Rivers and #1 for Oceans five years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler in the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards. Viking is also rated a “World’s Best” by Travel + Leisure — no other travel company has simultaneously received such honors by both publications.

Viking offers a fast-growing and dynamic working environment and flexible working hours. Please note that we can only accept applicants who are eligible to work in Germany or Austria or are in possession of a valid work permit.

Role Description

As a Manager Purchasing within the Technical Operations River (TOR), you will lead procurement activities supporting Maintenance & Repair Operations for Viking’s fleet of 80+ river ships. Reporting to the Senior Manager Purchasing, you own supplier performance, contract negotiations and budget outcomes while ensuring policy and regulatory compliance. This position is based in Cologne or Vienna and includes occasional business travel to suppliers and operational hubs in Europe.

Key Responsibilities

• Own procurement activities for technical spare parts and consumables
• Translate fleet requirements into purchasing strategy
• Partner with technical leadership and suppliers for demand planning and risk mitigation
• Manage purchasing budget, savings pipeline, and cost performance vs. targets
• Build and maintain strong supplier and stakeholder relationships
• Develop a long‑term planning strategy with logistics and technical teams to guarantee smooth end‑to‑end supply chain
• Lead continuous improvement and digitalization in purchasing processes and systems
• Translate the technical leadership planning into purchasing strategy
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, standards, and documentation
• Mentor and coach junior purchasing staff; allocate workload and priorities

Key Qualifications

Education and Professional Experience

• Degree in business administration, engineering, or equivalent experience
• 3–5 years in purchasing or supply chain, ideally in technical environments
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills
• Understanding of technical spare parts and components used in marine operations
• Knowledge of customs clearance and dangerous goods documentation (preferred)
• Excellent communication skills in English and German
• Experience with data analytics tools or AI‑enabled purchasing solutions (advantageous)

Soft Skills And Others

• Clear communicator; able to align cross functional stakeholders
• Fosters a culture of compliance and continuous improvement
• Customer oriented, pro‑active, enthusiastic and flexible with interpersonal skills
• Self‑starter with a can‑do mindset
• Strong analytical skills, comfortable in a dynamic environment
• Knowledge of customs/dangerous goods documentation; audit readiness experience
• Experience implementing process improvements and KPI framework
• Proactive and diplomatic approach with strong will to do what is needed to complete a task
• Ability to effectively challenge and tactfully influence stakeholders