Procurement Operations Manager NL-Nordics
Essity | Zeist | On-site | EUR 85,000 – 110,000 | Full time | Application End Date: 19 aug. 2026 | Job ID: Essity264136
The role requires strong leadership, international experience, and a focus on continuous improvement. Location options include Gothenburg, Hoogezand or Zeist. Fluency in English is essential.
At Essity, we break barriers to well-being. As a global leader in hygiene and health, we are committed to improving lives through innovative and sustainable solutions. We are now looking for an experienced Procurement Operations Manager to lead our operational procurement team across the Netherlands and Nordic region.
About The Role
As Procurement Operations Manager, you will be responsible for leading a team of Buyers supporting multiple sites, including mills and factories across the assigned countries. You will ensure procurement activities are executed efficiently, consistently and in compliance with company policies, while driving operational excellence and continuous improvement.
In this role, collaboration is key – you will work closely with Business Partnering and Global Procurement teams to align procurement priorities with business needs and ensure delivery of value through supplier management, contract compliance and sourcing execution.
We’re looking for people who embody our values, aren’t afraid to challenge, innovate, experiment, and move at a fast pace. We’re always looking for ways to improve our products and ourselves. If this is you, we’d love to talk!
Location for this role is either Gothenburg, Hoogezand or Zeist.
What You Will Do
Lead, coach and develop a team of Buyers across the assigned countries and locations.
Ensure buyers are equipped with the right prerequisites to develop and execute procurement strategies, secure supply, deliver savings, and drive value creation initiatives.
Ensure procurement activities are executed in a timely, efficient and compliant manner – achieving agreed KPIs.
Facilitate harmonized procurement processes and promote best practice sharing across sites and regions.
Identify synergies and leverage spend across locations.
Partner closely with stakeholders to align procurement priorities with business requirements.
Manage and optimize the supplier base for local categories
Drive compliance with procurement policies, procedures and governance standards.
Support buying channel strategies and identify opportunities to increase contracted spend and reduce ad hoc purchasing.
Contribute to Procurement Excellence by identifying process improvements, digitalization opportunities and system enhancements.
Act as a role model for Essity values, performance management, people development and accountability.
Responsibilities
Lead, coach and develop a team of Buyers across the assigned countries and locations.
Ensure buyers are equipped to develop and execute procurement strategies, secure supply, deliver savings, and drive value creation initiatives.
Ensure procurement activities are executed in a timely, efficient and compliant manner – achieving KPIs.
Facilitate harmonized procurement processes and promote best practice sharing across sites and regions.
Identify synergies and leverage spend across locations.
Partner with stakeholders to align procurement priorities with business requirements.
Manage and optimize the supplier base for local categories.
Drive compliance with procurement policies, procedures and governance standards.
Support buying channel strategies and identify opportunities to increase contracted spend and reduce ad hoc purchasing.
Contribute to Procurement Excellence by identifying process improvements, digitalization opportunities and system enhancements.
Act as a role model for Essity values, performance management, people development and accountability.
Who You Are
You are a proactive procurement professional with strong leadership capabilities and a passion for driving operational excellence. You thrive in an international environment and are able to balance stakeholder expectations with business priorities.
To be successful in this role, you have:
A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, Business Administration or a related field.
A minimum of 5 years of experience in a Buyer, Procurement Specialist or Procurement Management role.
Experience in leading teams.
Experience working within a complex international organization.
Strong knowledge of procurement processes, supplier management and purchasing compliance.
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
A continuous improvement mindset and experience driving operational efficiencies.
Fluency in English, both written and spoken.
Previous people management or team leadership experience is considered a strong advantage.
Experience working with procurement systems and digital procurement tools.
Experience within manufacturing, FMCG or industrial environments.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, Business Administration or a related field.
5+ years of experience in a Buyer, Procurement Specialist or Procurement Management role.
Experience leading teams in an international organization.
Strong knowledge of procurement processes, supplier management and purchasing compliance.
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
Continuous improvement mindset and experience driving operational efficiencies.
We may conduct background checks in the final stages of the recruitment process to verify your qualifications and fit for the role
What We Can Offer You
Our purpose, Breaking Barriers to Well-Being, provides meaning to everything we do. Join us to improve well-being for people and drive positive change for society and the environment. At Essity, you’ll feel valued, empowered to grow, and challenged to achieve business results in a collaborative and open atmosphere.
Skills
Leadership
Stakeholder management
Procurement knowledge
Team development
English fluency
Education
Bachelor or Master degree in Supply Chain
Tools
Procurement systems
Digital procurement tools
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