Strategic Buyer (m/f/d)

RIMOWA Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Welcome to RIMOWA, the first German Maison of the LVMH Group. We are a global lifestyle brand with a mission to create the essential tools for a lifetime of travel. For more than 125 years, we’ve dedicated ourselves to develop unique products where function coexists with luxury, heritage with innovation, and craftsmanship with design. At RIMOWA we believe that great ambitions demand resilient companions. It’s why our tools are created with longevity in mind. Because the most meaningful journeys last more than a trip, they last a lifetime. Please join us to discover your own.

We are currently looking for a Strategic Buyer (m/f/d) for our Head Office in Cologne. Among RIMOWA’s Purchasing team in Cologne, you define and deploy global sourcing strategies for select categories throughout the entire lifecycle of our products. As such, you work closely with Industrial, Quality, Development and Supply Chain located in all sites, and a worldwide panel of suppliers to achieve the best Total Cost of Ownership for the company.

Verantwortungsbereiche

YOUR TASKS:

Sourcing Buyer (~50%)

• Execute and contribute to the development of global sourcing strategies, ensuring alignment with company policies and targets
• Proactively manage and optimize the Suppliers Panel, including the evaluation and integration of new suppliers based on defined KPIs
• Cultivate and strengthen supplier relationships to drive optimal performance across cost, delivery, quality, and project execution
• Develop and apply bottom‑up cost models to build intelligence on supplier cost structures, enabling effective negotiation strategies
• Continuously monitor, analyze, and implement improvements in supplier performance
• Identify, document, and support sustainable initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions within the supply chain

Project Buyer (~40%)

• Independently identify and integrate new suppliers during the early design phase of projects, ensuring alignment with project requirements
• Monitor market trends and emerging technologies to generate and propose innovative solutions and suppliers
• Apply our Supplier Management Process throughout the project lifecycle, including Request for Quotation (RFQ), homologation, and awarding
• Apply Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) logic to awarding decisions, make‑or‑buy analyses, and re‑sourcing initiatives, collaborating with the Industrial Team
• Collaborate with the Quality team to rigorously assess and audit potential suppliers prior to business awards
• Actively participate in and present updates during Project Reviews, including status reports, risk assessments, and action plans
• Initiate and support improvement projects within the Supplier Management Process

Project Leader (~10%)

• Collaborate with Product Marketing to translate product briefs into actionable sourcing requirements
• Identify and integrate strategic suppliers in the early design phase and conduct feasibility studies
• Develop comprehensive project plans from product brief to commercial launch
• Enhance collaborative relationships with Product Marketing teams and support achievement of Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) targets in line with project objectives
• Support smooth execution throughout the commercial launch phase and ensure effective handover to supply chain teams

Profil

YOUR PROFILE:

• University degree in Purchasing Management or Engineering
• Minimum 5 years’ experience as strategic buyer in industrial fields
• Demonstrated knowledge of several industrial markets (e.g.: aluminium, plastics, textile…), from the raw material up to a finished product, including machinery and processes
• Strong project management skills, including developing action plans, identifying deliverables and presenting results
• Proven analytical skills and passion for data with great attention to details, incl. the ability to collect, question and analyse data
• Proven negotiation, contract management, communication and presentation skills
• Ability to adapt in a changing environment and navigate between strategic and hands‑on activities
• Fluency in English is required, fluency in German is appreciated

OUR BENEFITS:

• 30 days paid vacation per year
• Flexible working hours
• RIMOWA Essential Cabin suitcase as a gift after the probationary period
• Corporate benefits and 30% discount on the RIMOWA assortment
• Company pension scheme with a high employer contribution or other capital‑forming benefits
• Great canteen with freshly cooked and affordable food
• Urban Sports Club membership, public transportation ticket & job bike (partly subsidised)
• International environment and development opportunities within LVMH

Please send us your complete application documents including your salary expectations with details of earliest possible starting date.

We look forward to receiving your application!

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Celebrating our inclusive and diverse culture is core to RIMOWA’s DNA. We know that for our business to thrive, we depend on having diverse talent with a range of backgrounds, skills and capabilities in each of the countries in which we operate and to reflect our broad consumer base. We view diversity as one of the key enablers that helps our business to grow.