Senior Manager Purchasing

Overview

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®.

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 Condé 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.

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.

• Strategy & Governance
  • Define procurement strategy, policies, and governance aligned with fleet and corporate objectives
  • Translate fleet requirements into actionable purchasing plans
  • Establish KPI framework and reporting cadence (cost, availability, quality, risk)
• 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 standards
• 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

• 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
  • 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

• 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 – preferably by e-mail to:

Viking Technical GmbH, Personalabteilung, Industriepark 17, 56291 Wiebelsheim