Global Lead Buyer – Woven/Knitted Fabrics & Glass Cords.

Company Description

Continental is a leading tire manufacturer and industry specialist. Founded in 1871, the company generated sales of €19.7 billion in 2025 and currently employs around 78,000 people in 54 countries and markets.

 ContiTech is one of the world’s leading material experts for industry applications. The Continental group sector offers its customers reliable, safe and convenient industry and service solutions using a range of materials for off-highway applications, on rails and roads, in the air, under and above the ground, in industrial environments, for the food sector and the furniture industry. With about 20,000 employees (Status as of March 2026) at more than 60 sites globally, and sales of some 6.0 billion euros (2025), the global industrial partner is active with core branches in Asia, Europe and North and South America.

Job Description

• Material & Supplier Strategy (Full Ownership): Develop and execute global material and supplier strategies, including conducting market analysis, scanning new suppliers, driving cross-functional strategy definition, ensuring Continental’s requirements are embedded, and documenting/implementing strategies across all Business Areas (BAs) worldwide. Evaluate suppliers and integrate results into strategic planning.
• Negotiation (Full Ownership): Lead cost optimization negotiations for ContiTech with cross-functional support, develop new sourcing markets and global bundle opportunities across BAs, design and implement state-of-the-art negotiation concepts, and negotiate non-conformance costs with suppliers.
• Contract Management (Full Ownership): Negotiate and conclude legally binding supplier contracts to fulfill all requirements, and ensure timely documentation and issuance of supplier contracts.
• Data Maintenance (Shared Responsibility): Ensure timely and accurate implementation of purchasing data in relevant IT systems, and own monthly local data controlling, correction, and target achievement.
• Achieve Best Market Conditions (Shared Responsibility): Actively influence the sourcing process via supplier selection, price negotiation, contract closure, and sourcing decisions; bundle total category demand for ContiTech.
• Professional Project Handling (Shared Responsibility): Lead global/BA-specific ad-hoc projects related to Reinforcements, and drive cost-out, shortage, and crisis management initiatives for Reinforcements.
• Continuous Cost Reduction (Support Role): Support product re-design and cost-saving activities, and drive improvement programs with suppliers.
• Material Planning / Order Desk (Support Role): Support material price planning and forecasting for annual rebates/price deviations; ensure short-, mid-, and long-term material supply for production facilities (optimizing cost, quality, and technology); and conduct internal/external correspondence while collaborating closely with production, R&D, and quality teams.
• Material Escalation (Support Role): Secure on-time supply of production materials, and support plants on procurement and related topics.

Qualifications

• Expert knowledge of Contitech purchasing processes, professional purchasing and negotiation skills.
• Proficient in cross-cultural communication and presentation techniques.
• Solid commercial background including contract law expertise, and in-depth technical understanding of reinforcement components.
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical problem-solving capabilities.
• Good command of supply chain procedures, product features and regional market conditions.
• Skilled in using SAP, Supply ON, Microsoft Office, Fides and other office & procurement systems.