Rimowa Strategic Buyer
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Mid-Level
- Department
- Supply Chain, Logistics & Inventory
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- Jun 10, 2026
About Rimowa
Founded in Cologne in 1898, Rimowa stands as a benchmark of modern luxury travel, renowned for its iconic grooved aluminum suitcases and uncompromising German engineering. As an employer, the Maison offers a distinctive environment where heritage craftsmanship, industrial precision, design innovation, and elevated client experience converge. Part of the LVMH Group, Rimowa provides opportunities across product development, manufacturing, retail, digital, marketing, and corporate functions within an international culture shaped by excellence and forward movement. The brand seeks individuals who value quality, creativity, resilience, and meticulous execution, inviting them to contribute to objects designed not merely to accompany journeys, but to define them.
RIMOWA seeks Strategic Buyer in Cologne, Germany for global sourcing, supplier management, and procurement strategy within LVMH luxury goods.
Role & Responsibilities
- Design and implement global sourcing strategies aligned with company policies and cost targets
- Define and manage the supplier panel, integrating new suppliers based on key performance indicators
- Foster and enhance supplier relationships to optimize cost, delivery, quality, and project execution
- Create bottom-up cost models to build intelligence on suppliers' cost structures and support effective contract negotiations
- Monitor and continuously improve supplier performance against established metrics
- Identify, document, and drive sustainable actions to reduce CO2 emissions across the supply chain
- Identify and integrate new suppliers during the early design phase of projects
- Remain aware of market trends and emerging technologies to generate innovation opportunities
- Deploy the Supplier Management Process throughout project lifecycles, including Request for Quotation, homologation, and supplier awarding
- Apply Total Cost of Ownership logic to awarding decisions, make-or-buy assessments, and re-sourcing initiatives
- Collaborate with the Quality team to assess and audit suppliers prior to business awards
- Actively participate in Project Reviews, providing status updates and comprehensive action plans
- Lead improvement initiatives within the Supplier Management Process
- Collaborate with Product Marketing to understand product briefs and conduct feasibility studies
- Design comprehensive project plans from concept through commercial launch
- Enhance collaborative relationships with Product Marketing teams to achieve Cost of Goods Sold targets
- Ensure smooth execution throughout commercial launch and handover to supply chain teams
Qualifications
- University degree in Purchasing Management or Engineering
- Demonstrated knowledge of multiple industrial markets including aluminium, plastics, textiles, and related processes
- Strong project management skills with the ability to develop action plans, identify deliverables, and present results
- Proven analytical skills and demonstrated passion for data with meticulous attention to detail
- Ability to collect, question, and synthesize data to support strategic decision-making
- Proven negotiation, contract management, communication, and presentation capabilities
- Fluency in English
- Fluency in German appreciated
Skills
Experience
Minimum 5 years of experience as a strategic buyer in industrial fields, with demonstrated expertise in sourcing across multiple industrial markets from raw materials through finished products, including machinery and processes.
Education
University degree in Purchasing Management or Engineering
Workplace
The successful candidate will be located in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Benefits
30 days paid vacation per year, flexible working hours, RIMOWA Essential Cabin suitcase as a gift after probationary period, 30% discount on RIMOWA assortment, company pension scheme with high employer contribution or other capital-forming benefits, company canteen with freshly prepared and affordable meals, partly subsidized Urban Sports Club membership and public transportation, job bike available, international environment with development opportunities within LVMH
Culture
Rimowa fosters a workplace culture rooted in German engineering, precision craftsmanship, and a forward-looking spirit of innovation. As a global luxury house, it values collaboration, attention to detail, and entrepreneurial thinking, offering teams an environment where heritage and modern design come together to shape exceptional travel experiences.
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 «Procurement Strategist», «Senior Sourcing Manager», «Strategic Procurement Officer», «Materials Sourcing Director», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.