Strategic Procurement Specialist

Koenig & Bauer is the oldest, global printing press manufacturer in the world! For more than 200 years, we have been bringing together innovative technology and enthusiasm for tailor-made print solutions for our customers. You will find products printed on our machines all around you every day including the US currency in your wallet and much of the packaging in your grocery stores and big box retail stores.

With the broadest product portfolio in the industry, groundbreaking machines and a holistic service promise, Koenig & Bauer sets international standards. Our 5,500 employees worldwide generate annual sales of €1.2 billion.

This is your opportunity to join Koenig & Bauer (US), the sales and service organization for Koenig & Bauer in the United States and the North American headquarters. Become part of our company where creativity, fascination and passion for mechanical and electrical engineering work together as we develop the printing world of tomorrow and exceed print!

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Direct Reports: N/A

Department: Global Procurement & Supply Chain

Standard

Schedule:

Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CT.

Travel: Willingness to travel regionally across the US (supplier visits, plant support) and internationally (headquarters alignment, supplier benchmarking), typically up to 15-25%.

FLSA Status: Exempt/Salary

Job Responsibility: The Strategic Procurement Specialist is responsible for establishing, developing, and managing a high‑performing, globally competitive supplier network across the United States. Operating at the intersection of regional market execution and global procurement strategy, this role executes a phased sourcing roadmap: initially building a resilient domestic supply base ("Local-for-Local") and subsequently qualifying premier regional partners for integration into the global manufacturing network ("Local-for-Global").

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct thorough procurement market research across the US industrial landscape, evaluating cost drivers, raw material availability, capacity constraints, and competitive benchmarks.
• Identify high-impact material groups and commodity categories suited for domestic localization and global export.
• Formulate and implement regional purchasing strategies that harmonize local operating requirements with corporate procurement guidelines.
• Lead total cost of ownership (TCO) and make‑or‑buy analyses to guide capital allocation and sourcing decisions.

Local-for-Local Implementation

• Build, qualify, and scale a robust local supplier base across the US market to serve domestic operations.
• Structure and execute competitive tenders, RFPs/RFQs, and commercial negotiations.
• Partner with domestic manufacturing sites, plant logistics, and quality assurance teams to secure on‑time delivery (OTD), targeted cost baselines, and rigorous quality standards.
• Evaluate the domestic supply base to identify high‑potential manufacturers capable of scaling to international delivery standards.
• Lead supplier audits, technical evaluations, capacity assessments, and quality compliance reviews.
• Successfully onboard and integrate selected US suppliers into global value chains, collaborating closely with Global Category Managers.
• Drive operational excellence initiatives with suppliers to meet stringent international quality, packaging, and logistical frameworks.
• Cultivate strategic supplier partnerships and formalize vendor relationship management frameworks.
• Implement structured vendor performance reviews (business reviews, scorecards, corrective action tracking).
• Proactively assess multi‑tier supply chain risks, geo‑economic vulnerabilities, and single‑source bottlenecks, instituting business continuity countermeasures.

Commercial,…