Hermès Head of Direct Production Purchasing

About Hermès

COMPTOIR NOUVEAU DE LA PARFUMERIE is a French perfumery and cosmetics house specialising in the development and sourcing of fragrance and beauty products. The organisation places strong emphasis on product quality, packaging excellence and regulatory compliance, and integrates sustainability and supplier traceability into its purchasing approach.

Role & Responsibilities

• Define and implement the purchasing strategy for assigned production categories (e.g., packaging, subcontracting), aligned with corporate objectives on cost, quality and volume.
• Maintain market and technology watch to identify new sourcing opportunities and innovation aligned with creative and product development needs.
• Select, onboard and develop strategic supplier partnerships; lead supplier audits, business reviews and continuous improvement plans.
• Lead complex and strategic negotiations, and take full ownership of negotiations for specified product families; coordinate contract drafting and framework agreements with legal support.
• Oversee operational procurement processes: manage catalogue purchases, issue and manage RFPs, run multi-stakeholder allocation committees and formalise market attributions.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams (R&D, packaging development, quality, industrial logistics, suppliers) throughout industrialisation to meet quality, cost and lead‑time targets.
• Build and monitor purchasing budgets and KPI reporting for the Purchasing Directorate and internal business stakeholders.
• Design and deploy the RSE/sustainability action plan for the procurement pole (supply‑chain traceability, decarbonisation, eco‑design).
• Contribute as product and procurement expert during tenders and commercial presentations, advising on quality standards, cost policy and product specificities.
• Participate in procurement transformation projects (purchase information systems, e‑sourcing and e‑procurement implementations).

Qualifications

• Master's degree (Bac+5) with specialisation in Purchasing, Supply Chain or equivalent.
• Minimum 10 years' proven experience in purchasing, with significant exposure to direct production procurement; experience in cosmetics or perfumery strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in negotiation, cost breakdown and identification of strategic/critical purchases.
• Strong knowledge of procurement processes and supply‑chain fundamentals, and of industrial production techniques.
• Good legal and financial literacy related to contracting and supplier risk management.
• Proven ability to manage teams; prior people‑management experience is a plus.
• Professional working proficiency in English (essential).

Skills

Experience

Minimum 10 years' experience in purchasing roles, with substantial responsibility for direct production categories; prior experience in the cosmetics or fragrance sector preferred and initial management responsibility desirable.

Education

Master's degree (Bac +5) in Purchasing, Supply Chain, Business Administration or equivalent.

Workplace

Culture

The employer operates within the French perfumery and cosmetics sector and values meticulous product craftsmanship, creativity and long‑term supplier relationships. Sustainability and supplier traceability are core commitments, and cross‑functional collaboration with R&D, quality and industrial teams is emphasised.

About Cerulean

Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.