Head of Procurement

We are looking for a Head of Procurement to build and lead a brand new function at Fastned — one that does not yet exist and that you will create from scratch. As we scale rapidly across Europe, there is a great need for a structured, strategic approach to procurement. This is a rare opportunity to shape something entirely new in a fast-moving, purpose-driven company.

As Head of Procurement, you will establish Procurement as an enabling function — built to support the business, not constrain it. Reporting directly to the COO, you will own governance, category strategy and sourcing processes for major spend categories, while setting standards and providing advisory support to functional teams on procurement best practices.

Procurement will actively manage key supplier relationships and lead critical negotiations, while building a network of Procurement Champions within functional teams to handle smaller, non-strategic procurement locally. The function does not place orders, nor does it make unilateral decisions on supplier or product selection — those decisions remain with the business. What Procurement does is bring rigour, expertise and oversight to ensure Fastned gets the best value from its supplier relationships while safeguarding the company's financial stability.

Build the foundation

• Define how Procurement operates at Fastned — establishing the processes, templates, approval frameworks and sourcing standards that the whole organisation can work with
• Set spend thresholds and approval hierarchies
• Create RFP and contract templates
• Make clear what Procurement owns and where it plays an advisory role

Develop category and supplier strategies

• Map Fastned's major indirect spend categories — from construction services and operations & maintenance to software and professional services
• Develop tailored sourcing strategies for each category, including preferred supplier panels and framework agreements
• Maintain strong relationships with our most strategic partners

Lead critical negotiations

• Take the lead on commercial and contractual negotiations with key suppliers, including charger manufacturers, construction contractors and critical service providers
• Work closely with Legal to ensure contracts are sound, risk is managed and business needs are well protected

Drive supplier performance

• Put in place a structured review process for our top strategic suppliers, tracking performance on cost, quality, delivery and ESG
• Lead the escalation path when issues arise and work with Operations, Construction and Engineering to resolve them

Deliver spend visibility and savings

• Build a clear picture of what Fastned spends, with whom and where the opportunities lie, in close collaboration with Finance
• Work toward measurable cost reductions on addressable indirect spend within the first 18–24 months

Grow the team and the network

• Build and develop the Procurement team and bring in the right talent
• Establish a network of Procurement Champions embedded in functional teams — ensuring good procurement practice reaches across the organisation without centralising everything

• Fluent in English; fluent Dutch would be a great advantage and fluent German or French is a nice plus
• 10+ years procurement or supply chain experience in complex, multi-geography environments
• Experience in leading procurement functions, particularly in capital-intensive or operations-heavy industries
• Strong commercial negotiation and contract management skills
• Experience in building procurement teams and establishing governance frameworks
• Knowledge of supply chain risk management and supplier relationship management
• A true builder mentality — you are energised by creating structure, comfortable with ambiguity and able to make progress without established processes or a large team behind you
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to drive change through influence rather than authority — you are fun to work with and know how to bring people along, not just set the rules
• You bring a genuine passion for the energy transition — and you understand how responsible sourcing and supplier relationships can make a real difference in a…