Buyer Rail Assets/project Manager

Key responsibilities of the position:
**Strategic Procurement & Sourcing**
- Identifying Needs: Work closely with various departments to understand their requirements and forecast future needs.
- Market Research: Conduct research to identify potential suppliers, evaluate their offerings, and compare them against organizational needs.
- Supplier Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers to ensure a reliable supply chain.
- Develop and implement sourcing strategies for rolling stock and modular assets tailored to cyclical steel industry demands.
- Lead competitive tenders (RFI/RFP), negotiations, and supplier evaluations with a focus on total lifecycle cost.
- Drive contract structuring and renegotiations, ensuring flexibility, long-term value, and risk mitigation.
- Negotiation: Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms with suppliers to secure the best possible deals for the organization.

**Cost reduction and fleet management strategy**
- Develop the procurement strategy for your portfolio based on TCO method (Total Cost of Ownership)
- Monitor wagon contract, usage & cost date and coordinate with relevant teams to gather this data which will be used to ensure an optimal wagon fleet.

**Supplier & Market Intelligence**
- Build strong knowledge of wagon suppliers, lessors, and OEMs active in the European steel transport ecosystem.
- Track market offerings, regulatory compliance (UIC, TSI, EN), and supplier risk exposure.
- Benchmark supplier performance, cost drivers, and technical capabilities (including modular fleets and retrofit programs).

**Quality, reporting & compliance**
- Quality Assurance: Contribution to the Assets team inputs to the organization's quality standards and processes.
- Reporting: Prepare regular reports on purchasing activity, cost savings, and supplier performance.
- Follow-up of the contracts (KPI, contract review, improvement...)
- Compliance: Ensure all procurement activities comply with relevant regulations and organizational policies.

**Working Conditions**

The Buyer/ project manager will work primarily in an office setting, with occasional visits to suppliers' facilities. The role may require travel to attend industry conferences, trade shows, and supplier meetings.

**Requirements**:

- Master’s degree in Procurement, Engineering, Supply Chain, or Business.
- 5+ years’ experience in strategic purchasing, transport procurement, or industrial asset sourcing.
- Deep knowledge of rail logistics, steel supply chains, and supplier contracting.
- Experience in negotiation, contract law basics, and safety compliance frameworks (UIC, TSI, NSA/ERA).
- Able to form good relationships with supplier and be able to manage key stakeholders.
- Able to prepare strategy, to establish partnership with key accounts.
- Skills:

- Strong analytical, interpersonal, and commercial decision-making skills.
- Excellent negotiation and communication skills.
- Self-driving and motivated
- Able to manage key stakeholders
- Strong analytical and decision-making abilities.
- Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Languages: Fluent in English; other European languages (e.g., French, German) are a plus.

**Nice to Have**
- Experience handling modular wagon systems, retrofits, or multimodal procurement.
- Exposure to litigation support or regulatory case management.
- Familiarity with European rail safety regulations and technical documentation (UIC Leaflets, EN standards).

**What We Offer**
- Strategic ownership and impact.
- Cross-border exposure across leading European markets.
- Strong mentoring, development, and long-term career growth in transport and industrial procurement.

**Please submit your CV in English