Purpose of the role:
The Senior Manager Purchasing & Assortment role is pivotal in the strategic development of Raja’s Furniture Category unit. Reporting directly to the Director P&A, this role you are responsible for the RAJA Office product assortment, service offer and vendor strategy, OEM and Own Brand, for furniture across all European markets in which Raja operates. You will play a critical role in driving cost, margin and sales improvement in this category through a strong management of costs, selling prices, supply chain effectiveness, and sales strategy.
You will be responsible for the assortment, the purchasing conditions and the selling prices of around 10,000 furniture items, sold predominantly online to B2B end users. You will provide senior leadership in defining strategic direction, category management and supplier negotiations, ensuring an optimized and profitable product assortment for our European markets.
Description:

• Viking Category & Purchasing Management: Drive the selection of the right assortment, secure optimal purchasing conditions, and define competitive selling prices across Viking’s 7 markets.
• Raja Office Purchasing Management: Ensure the best possible purchasing terms to support the needs of all 10 Raja Office markets.
• Raja Office Category & Supplier Strategy: Create and execute a strategic vision for the Furniture category, covering desks, chairs, storage, and broader office solutions. Focus on selling direct and online to B2B end-users.
• Strategic Planning: Convert category, assortment, and supplier strategies into a comprehensive annual operating plan, including targets for assortment, sales, profitability, and vendor performance.
• Own Brand Development: Oversee the Viking and Raja Office private‑label assortments, defining products, selecting vendors, managing tender cycles, negotiating contracts, and ensuring supply performance to maximize growth and profitability across all markets.
• Supplier Management: Manage approximately 100 suppliers, including selection, contracting, price negotiations, and monitoring delivery performance. Oversee forecasting, demand planning, and product availability across all Raja Office markets in partnership with Supply Chain.
• Contract & Documentation Management: Maintain all types of contractual agreements, ensuring proper storage, governance, and communication with key stakeholders.
• Team Leadership: Lead and develop a team of three managers, providing coaching and guidance to ensure excellence in sourcing, negotiation, and assortment planning.
• Online & Contract Support: Serve the needs of all customer segments, including medium - large accounts requiring tailored assortments. Collaborate with Sales to support special product requests, tenders, and large deals in line with commercial guidelines.
• Stakeholder Management: Build strong internal and external relationships and influence key stakeholders to deliver assortment and vendor plans on time. Collaborate closely with suppliers, Merchandising, Product Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain, and Finance to maximize business outcomes.