Rimowa Purchasing Team Lead
- Location
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Manager
- Department
- Supply Chain, Logistics & Inventory
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- Apr 27, 2026
About Rimowa
RIMOWA is the first German maison within the LVMH group, recognised for crafting refined travel luggage that blends technical innovation, rigorous craftsmanship and enduring design. As a global lifestyle brand, RIMOWA operates within an international, design-led network and benefits from career development and mobility opportunities across LVMH’s portfolio.
RIMOWA in Cologne seeks a Purchasing Team Lead to lead global sourcing and supplier management (permanent, full-time).
Role & Responsibilities
- Lead, coach and develop the purchasing team, fostering a collaborative, high‑performance culture and driving continuous improvement (~70% of role).
- Design and deploy global sourcing strategies across the product lifecycle, aligning purchasing objectives with Industrial, Quality, Development and Supply Chain stakeholders.
- Own End‑to‑End Supplier Management: define RFQ processes, supplier selection and homologation, KPI frameworks, sampling and commercial launch procedures.
- Develop bottom‑up cost models and apply Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) logic to sourcing awards, make‑or‑buy decisions and re‑sourcing initiatives.
- Manage supplier panel including onboarding, performance monitoring, audits and corrective action plans to secure cost, quality and delivery targets.
- Lead improvement initiatives across supplier management processes and implement measurable KPIs and reporting.
- Negotiate commercial terms and contracts; collaborate with Quality to conduct supplier assessments prior to business awards.
- Identify and drive sustainability actions with suppliers to reduce CO2 emissions and support responsible sourcing objectives.
Qualifications
- University degree in Purchasing Management, Supply Chain or Engineering.
- Minimum 10 years' professional experience as a buyer or cost engineer in industrial/manufacturing environments.
- Proven experience leading and developing teams with demonstrable people‑management outcomes.
- Deep technical knowledge across relevant industrial markets (e.g., aluminium, plastics, textiles) from raw materials to finished products, including associated machinery and processes.
- Strong project management capability with experience defining action plans, deliverables and reporting results.
- Advanced analytical ability, experience with bottom‑up cost modelling and data‑driven decision making.
- Excellent negotiation and contract management skills with strong influencing and presentation abilities.
- Ability to operate comfortably between strategic planning and hands‑on execution in a fast‑changing environment.
- Fluency in English; German language skills are appreciated.
Skills
Experience
Minimum 10 years' experience as a buyer or cost engineer within industrial/manufacturing sectors, with several years in team leadership and strategic sourcing roles.
Education
University degree in Purchasing Management, Supply Chain or Engineering.
Workplace
This position is based in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Benefits
30 days paid vacation per year; flexible working hours; RIMOWA Essential Cabin suitcase as a gift after probation; 30% employee discount on RIMOWA assortment and corporate benefits; company pension scheme with substantial employer contribution or other capital-forming benefits; subsidised canteen with freshly prepared meals; Urban Sports Club membership, public transport ticket and partially subsidised job bike; international environment with development opportunities within LVMH.
Culture
RIMOWA combines German engineering and artisanal attention to detail with LVMH’s luxury craftsmanship ethos, fostering an international, design-focused workplace. The brand emphasises inclusivity, diversity and internal mobility, encouraging continuous improvement and cross‑disciplinary collaboration.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Rimowa, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Sourcing Team Lead», «Head of Strategic Sourcing», «Procurement Team Lead», «Senior Buyer – Global Sourcing», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.