Senior Manager Purchasing
- Recruiter:
- Viking
- Category:
- Land Based Jobs
- Position:
- Operations & Logistics
- Published:
- December 31, 2025
Viking (NYSE: VIK) was founded in 1997 and offers destination-focused cruises on oceans, rivers and lakes worldwide. Designed for experienced travellers with an interest in science, history, culture and cuisine, chairman Torstein Hagen often says that Viking offers experiences for the thinking person\u00AE.
Viking has received more than 450 awards to date, including being named No. 1 for rivers, No. 1 for oceans and No. 1 for expeditions by Cond\u00E9 Nast Traveller in the 2023 and 2024 Readers' Choice Awards. Viking was also voted number one in its categories by Travel + Leisure. No other cruise line has ever received the same accolades from both publications at the same time.
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 are in possession of a valid work permit.
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ROLE DESCRIPTION\u00A0
As a Senior Manager Purchasing within the Technical Operations River (TOR you will lead procurement strategy and governance for our fleet of 80+ river ships. Reporting to the Director of Technical Supply Chain & Planning, you set procurement strategy and governance for the river fleet, oversee vendor partnerships, cost optimization, and risk management. You manage the technical purchasing team of six, ensure audit-ready compliance and represent technical purchasing in cross-functional forums. The position is based in Cologne and includes occasional business travel to suppliers and operational hubs in Europe.
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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategy & Governance
- Define procurement strategy, policies, and governance aligned with fleet and corporate\u00A0 objectives
- Translate fleet requirements into actionable purchasing plans
- Establish KPI framework and reporting cadence (cost, availability, quality, risk )
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Vendor & Risk Management
- Lead high-value sourcing, manage and negotiate long-term agreements
- Build and maintain strong supplier and stakeholder relationships
- Build vendor risk and continuity plans; manage escalations and performance recovery
- Maintain strategic supplier relationships and ensure alignment with compliance\u00A0 \u00A0 \u00A0 \u00A0 \u00A0standards
Team Leadership & Collaboration
- Manage and develop a team of six; allocate priorities and mentor junior purchasing staff
- Partner with technical leadership and logistics teams for demand planning and risk mitigation
Continuous Improvement & Compliance
- Sponsor digitalization and process improvements in purchasing systems
- Ensure audit-ready compliance with procurement policies and documentation
- Establish KPI framework and cadence (cost, availability, quality, risk) across warehouse
- Deliver cost optimization targets
- Develop a long-term planning strategy with logistics and technical teams to guarantee smooth end-to-end supply chain
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KEY QUALIFICATIONS
Education and professional experience
Must-have:
- Degree in business administration, engineering, or equivalent experience
5+ years in purchasing or supply chain with leadership responsibility, ideally in technical environments
- Strong negotiation and vendor management skills
-\u00A0 Proven track record in strategic sourcing, complex negotiations, and cost optimization
- Exposure to digital transformation initiatives in procurement
- Excellent and a strong executive communication skills English and German
Preferred:
- Experience with AI-enabled purchasing solutions and advanced analytics tools
- Exposure to digital transformation initiatives in procurement
Soft skills and others
-Strategic and influential leader with strong stakeholder management skills
- Clear communicator with executive presence
- Drives accountability and continuous improvement across teams
Analytical, adaptable, and proactive in dynamic environment
-Able to challenge constructively and influence decisions diplomatically
HOW TO APPLY
- We look forward to receiving your complete application documents, stating your salary expectations and your earliest possible starting date. Start with us and take on challenging tasks in a skilled and highly motivated team. Convince us with your commitment and personality and send your application \u2013 preferably by e-mail to:
Viking Technical GmbH, Personalabteilung, Industriepark 17, 56291 Wiebelsheim
E-Mail: hr.wbl@viking.com
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Language Requirements
Good knowledge of the English language is required.
Viking
THE VIKING STORY
More than 20 years ago, Viking® set the standard for what river cruising should be, and today we are the leader that all others follow. In 2015, we took the same small ship, destination-focused experience to the seas and reinvented ocean cruising. Over the years Viking has won numerous ocean and river cruise line awards from Condé Nast Traveler, Cruise Critic, Travel + Leisure, Travel Weekly and more.
Viking is a strong and dynamic company—with a growing fleet of more than 80 river ships and seven ocean vessels cruising over 100 itineraries around the world.
JOIN THE VIKING FAMILY
If you have always dreamed of combining your love of travel with the ability to grow your career, consider a position at Viking. We are the world’s leading small ship cruise line, and there is tremendous potential to advance your career with us. As part of our crew, when your ship is docked at the many destinations we visit, you can explore ashore and refresh during your free time.
Additionally, with Viking’s award-winning service and thoughtfully curated onboard experiences, our guests are typically very satisfied. This, combined with Viking’s gratuity guidelines, means that you can expect to be well rewarded as an employee on board a Viking ship.