Project Purchaser – Partner Management EMEA (m/f/d)

The Kardex Group is one of the world's leading providers of automated storage and retrieval solutions. As a global AutoStore partner, Kardex delivers highly automated storage and order fulfilment solutions for customers across a wide range of industries.

For our growing AutoStore business, we are looking for a Project Purchaser – Partner Management EMEA (m/f/d) based in Portugal.

In this role, you will take commercial ownership of project-related sourcing and partner management activities across the EMEA region. You will manage the procurement of materials, services and complex subsystems required for our AutoStore projects – from RFQ and supplier selection through commercial and contractual negotiations to project realization.

Working closely with Project Management, Engineering, Installation and other internal stakeholders, you will ensure that our external partners deliver the right solutions at the right quality, cost and time. At the same time, you will contribute to further developing our partner network and procurement standards across EMEA.

Your tasks

• Project Procurement: Lead project-related sourcing activities across EMEA, including RFQs, commercial bid evaluations, supplier selection, negotiations and award recommendations.
• Commercial & Contract Management: Lead commercial negotiations and negotiate project-specific agreements covering pricing, contractual terms, schedules, responsibilities and commercial risks.
• Partner Management: Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing partners while identifying, evaluating and qualifying alternative suppliers to strengthen our partner network and reduce dependencies.
• Project Execution Support: Work closely with Project Management, Engineering, Installation, Sales and local Kardex entities throughout project realization to ensure that suppliers meet agreed requirements regarding cost, quality, delivery and contractual obligations.
• Risk Management & Problem Solving: Identify commercial, contractual and supplier-related risks at an early stage and proactively develop solutions to minimize their impact on project execution.
• Supplier Performance: Monitor and evaluate supplier performance and initiate improvement measures where required.
• Continuous Improvement: Contribute to the further development of sourcing strategies, supplier setups, contractual standards and Partner Management processes across EMEA.

Your profile

• Professional experience: Experience in procurement, ideally in a project‑driven environment such as logistics, automation, or construction.
• Education: Completed training in a commercial field, business administration, supply chain management, engineering, or a related area. A university degree and additional certifications in procurement or project management are an advantage.
• Negotiation & communication skills: Strong negotiation and communication skills to effectively manage supplier relationships, contract terms, and conflict resolution.
• Language skills: Excellent English skills are essential; additional European languages are a plus.
• Contracts & contract law: Familiarity with key principles of contract law and their application in procurement as well as in project contracts.

We offer:

• Long-term prospects: A secure job in a fast-growing, international company with exciting development opportunities and interesting and varied tasks in a future-oriented environment  
• Valuable support: Great team spirit, elaborate onboarding and a wide range of training opportunities in our own academy at the Bellheim site as well as an Employee Assistance Program (Lyra)
• Tangible added value: Flexible working hours, annual vacation on behalf of the respective country regulations
• Visible benefits: Attractive salary, company pension plan and capital-forming benefits - depending on location 
• Attractive extras: Corporate benefits, company and team events

Interested?

• Send us your application including your earliest possible start date and salary expectations via our applicant portal. Applications take less than two minutes. For questions, feel free to contact Bonnie Mo at +34 675 885 067.