We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!

To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas, and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.

Procurement Specialist - Benelux

To collaborate with the Procurement category teams on the creation of category strategies and implement relevant global and local procurement activities at DSS site level across the Benelux.

Reporting to the Procurement Manager - Benelux, the Procurement Specialist is responsible for delivering Procurement value and services across DS Smith's businesses. The Benelux is part of the Central EMEA Procurement organisation, which reports to the Central EMEA Procurement Leader.

The role also ensures the purchase to pay transactional support processes happen in a timely manner in order to support our stakeholders to buy compliantly in close collaboration with shared services.

To operate as a collaborative member of the Benelux team in partnership with the Central EMEA Procurement teams, and be the trusted business partner and primary point of contact for sites and management

The Group Procurement Function is accountable for:

• Shaping and aligning the Procurement strategy to support the achievement of business goals including growth, innovation, ESG (incl. Scope 3) and manufacturing excellence
• Supporting simplification, driving effectiveness and supporting the delivery of business 80/20 plans
• Partnering with stakeholders to ensuring the function competitively sources quality products and supplier services whilst maintaining and building strong relationships with strategic suppliers in line with group Innovation, ESG and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals
• Partnering differently across the value chain to create innovative business offerings that delight our customers and support business growth

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities

Strategy and Vision:

• Responsible for supporting creation and implementation of Group Procurement strategies and projects
• Support the delivery of best for business strategies that represent best value for the Benelux businesses
• Feed local business requirements into category strategies and support / champion the implementation of solutions
• Communicate ideas for improvement to internal customers and Category Managers

Sourcing & Negotiations:

• Manage sourcing and tender commercial activity for assigned subcategories in Benelux
• Negotiate contracts within assigned category segments in Benelux
• Conduct RFIs, Tenders and Contracting

Markets and Risk

• Manage supplier procurement risk with business for key sites across the Benelux
• Operate according to procurement policies, contracts, procedures, processes, guidelines and regulations
• Conduct local market research (suppliers and products) and assist with defining stakeholders' needs
• Support the business to imbed dashboards and management control oversight over key risk standards and procure to pay policies

Contracting

• Ensure alignment with stakeholders on how local contracts will be managed operationally and commercially
• Manage Indirects category across the Benelux including HR, Facility Management and Professional Services, Marketing & Sales.
• Embed relevant supplier KPIs into contracts in support of business requirements
• Aligns the approach and responsibilities for managing relevant contracts with business stakeholders and category teams to drive value and minimise risk exposure over the lifecycle of the contract

Portfolio Initiative Management

• Support the delivery of a portfolio of priority procurement initiatives in line with the agreed category strategies. These initiatives could apply a variety of strategies and levers including; tendering, e-auctions and cost negotiations, price benchmarking, supplier consolidation and rationalisation, make vs buy or lease, demand and policy levers, price negotiations to support changes and growth etc.
• Input to the management of supplier market tender approaches and high-profile negotiations end to end, where the Category teams are leading the project/programmes
• Share and implement procurement best practice across the Benelux
• Project manages local initiatives in sites, end-to-end to deliver the value-add initiatives from procurement
• Calculate and track the benefits achieved (OpEx & CapEx) via the internal procurement reporting tool (Provalido)

Procure to Pay Collaboration

• Working with Shared Services and business stakeholders to communicate preferred supplier arrangements in a way the business can be guided to buy compliantly e.g., through procurement and purchase to pay systems
• Work with our suppliers and accounts payable to help resolve invoice discrepancies where needed
• Ensure progress is being made toward meeting purchasing key performance indicators
• Manage specific purchase to pay activity to support business requistioners within defined business KPIs/service levels

Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) and Supplier Performance Management (SPM)

• Support local SRM/SPM activities with key suppliers to drive innovation, quality and supply improvements
• Assess and evaluate suppliers and undertake performance reviews to ensure contract compliance
• Address and resolve cluster/site queries and conduct supplier relationship/performance management as well as directing the P2P process
• Support quality management audits for the business to retain its ISO / accreditation status on topics such as supplier management

Stakeholder Engagement / Business Partnering

• Build strong relationships with the key business stakeholders and attend business meetings on site
• Communicate with business stakeholders to ensure alignment to key procurement strategies
• Ensure clear alignment with procurement and sites on ability for sites and business representatives to manage buying and purchasing decisions in a streamlined and effective way
• Own business relationships at a local level, acting as the dedicated link between the business and the category teams
• Leads local change management and communications to successfully implement new commercial procurement solutions
• Represent the function on Procurement topics across the Benelux together with the team
• Partner with stakeholders to promote adherence to procurement and category policies

Health & Safety - Safety First

• To support Health & Safety (H&S), operating in line with company procedures to enable a safe working environment
• Ensure H&S clauses are in supplier contracts and to manage supplier non compliance issues or breaches

About you

• A strong knowledge and demonstrated experience in Procurement
• Advanced procurement Commercial negotiation and contract management skills, in addition to supplier management capabilities
• Experience of leading transformational change in procurement and matrix environment
• Delivery of results: Ability to deliver to agreed savings and value targets
• Problem solving: Ability to use information, analysis and insights to identify and unlock opportunities across the supply base
• Programme delivery: Ability to lead a portfolio of strategic and tactical procurement initiatives with competing resources and priorities
• Prioritisation skills: Ability to independently prioritise work and deliver procurement initiatives in a complex matrix environment
• Communication and Influencing: Ability to build strong trusting relationships with cross functional and cross geographical stakeholders in an ambiguous and complex matrix. Use these relationships to support and challenge these stakeholders. Outstanding relationship management skills required
• Fluency in English and Dutch. Fluency in another European language in Europe where DS Smith has a presence would be an advantage
• Degree level or equivalent by experience. Bachelor's degree
• Deep knowledge and experience in procurement. Over 5 years experience at the same or similar level to this position
• Experience in developing and successfully implementing 1-3 year regional procurement strategies
• Extensive experience in implementing and managing a range of complex procurement sourcing and contracting negotiations
• Demonstrable track record in influencing in a matrix environment.
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills
• Leadership skills with proven track record to convince others through written and spoken communications. Able to deal with resistance
• Exceptional knowledge of Best-in-Class Procurement practices and ways of working.
• An individual with the broad business acumen and an ability to interact with general management at a senior level is critical.
• An approach that puts diversity and inclusion at the heart of all interactions.
• Master negotiator, capable of delivering great outcomes when leading high value and complex deals.

To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria."