Key Skills

Job Description

Freelance Strategic Buyer Location: Antwerp / Amsterdam | Freelance | Maternity cover | Experience: 5+ years in strategic sourcing or manufacturing procurement Own cost and help drive structural margin impact At Loop, strategic buying shapes how our products are made and what they cost. From silicones and plastics to softgoods and packaging, your decisions directly impact margin, innovation speed, and production readiness. As Strategic Buyer, you’ll take commercial ownership of your categories. Every RFQ you lead, supplier you position, and cost model you build helps move the business forward. The Role You’ll build and execute category strategies that reduce structural BOM costs without compromising quality or scalability. You’ll break down supplier cost structures, challenge tooling investments with data, and define MOQ and landed cost setups that protect margin at scale. You’ll build a strong Approved Vendor List across the right regions, so new product launches are supported by validated, production-ready suppliers. You’ll secure DFM alignment and capacity early, and turn cost, risk, and manufacturability trade-offs into clear decisions that protect timing and margin. What You’ll Do Lead RFQs that turn competitive tension into structural margin gains. Own supplier onboarding and improve performance across quality, cost, and delivery. Drive dual sourcing and regional diversification to strengthen supply resilience. Support the Industrialization Team in preparing products for mass production. Build long-term supplier partnerships that can grow with Loop. You Won’t Wait for endless approvals before taking action. Hide behind process when outcomes are at risk. Stay in the background without making your impact visible. Accept supplier quotes without challenging the numbers. How You’ll Succeed You combine analytical depth with strong commercial instinct. You challenge assumptions with data and push for better outcomes while building strong supplier relationships. Engineering teams trust you because you understand manufacturing constraints and DFM principles. You stay structured under launch pressure and focus on what matters most: lower structural costs, strong supplier performance, and production-ready launches. What You’ll Bring 5+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or manufacturing buying. A strong background in plastics, silicones, softgoods, packaging, electronics or consumer goods. A track record of negotiating structural cost reductions. Advanced cost modelling skills, including should-costing, tooling, MOQ, and landed cost. Familiarity with mass production ramp-up and DFM alignment. Experience developing regional sourcing strategies and dual-sourcing setups. Experience working with suppliers in the APAC region is a strong plus. Loop Isn’t for Everyone. We Might Not Be a Match If You: Avoid tough supplier conversations when margins are at stake. Rely on others to define your category strategy. Feel uncomfortable challenging engineering or supplier assumptions with data. Prioritise harmony over structural cost improvement. Still Interested? Great. If you’re excited about owning sourcing strategies, challenging supplier costs, and helping Loop launch products with strong margins and production-ready suppliers, we’d love to hear from you. Interview Process Application Window: 30 October – 15 November (Applications are only accepted during this window) Recruiter Screens: 9 – 20 November Hiring Manager Interviews: 16 – 25 November Business Case Presentation: 26 November – 2 December Target Start Date: December 2026 /January 2027 (as soon as possible)

Core Responsibilities

Develop and execute category strategies, lead RFQs, and negotiate structural cost reductions while managing supplier onboarding and performance. Build resilient regional and dual-sourcing arrangements, and support engineering and industrialization teams with DFM alignment, capacity planning, and production-ready launches.

Requirements

Requires 5+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or manufacturing buying, with a background in relevant categories such as plastics, silicones, softgoods, packaging, electronics, or consumer goods. Candidates should have advanced cost-modeling and negotiation skills, experience with DFM and mass-production ramp-up, and familiarity with regional sourcing and dual sourcing; APAC supplier experience is a plus.