Buyer/Business Developer - Purchase Development – Green Plants and Custom-made Kitchen Work Tops

Our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. We do this by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing and food products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.

The Inter IKEA Group is a part of Inter IKEA Systems B.V., owner of the IKEA Concept and worldwide IKEA franchisor.

IKEA Supply is responsible for securing that the product offer is produced and delivered to our customers. We lead the supply agenda across many functions and work together with all business areas, different business units, but also retail markets to secure customer availability in all markets and sales channels at lowest total cost.

IKEA Purchasing and Logistics Services (US) inc. is part of our Supply Area Americas which also has an office in Curitiba, Brazil, and King of Prussia, PA, Mexico City, Mexico and is a subsidiary of the Inter IKEA Group. 

About the job

As a Business Developer, you will develop and implement common action plans with your South American suppliers and partners, delivering excellent performance in running operations and building professional long term business development. You will also identify and act on new purchasing possibilities in order to secure optimal sourcing set-up. You must have professional proficiency in Spanish language skill.

About the assignment

Being a Business Developer, you will be overall responsible for supplier performance and relationships.  Among other things, you are:

• Responsible for building professional and long-term relationships through IKEA way of doing business, based on a shared business model, trust, and transparency.
• Professionally challenge suppliers to constantly improve all aspects of supplier performance according to supplier action plan.
• Lead supplier development projects to create and implement action plans together with suppliers which delivers to Category Business Plan.
• Secure the analysis, leading to conclusions and making things happen
• Responsible for lowering total cost at the supplier level through optimizing value chain.
• Deliver excellent results to meet goals
• Partner with suppliers to continuously increase the competitiveness through new purchasing possibilities such as new technology, new material and/or production techniques.
• Lead the business agenda by involving and engaging competence needed such as logistics, quality, manufacturing and sustainability.
• In addition to the Business Development role, you will also be responsible to secure compliance to IKEA Purchasing Manual and other agreed working methods, product documentation and social & quality compliances.
• You will additionally be responsible for product documentation, quality compliance, quality assurance and assessing the requirements of the respective products.  

About you

You are able to establish and develop high performing and diverse supplier base which can meet the needs of our business and customers. You have a high interest in understanding the markets we are working in, as well as the reality of production. Additionally, we believe you should have:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or other relevant degree.
• Sourcing experience in value chain of products like green plants, home furnishing products, FMCG or similar.
• Purchasing experience working with Total Cost and Value Chain Analysis.
• Hands on experience in supplier development and vendor management.
• Proven track record of product price negotiations.
• Self-driven and strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Effective communication skills. Able to adapt communication style to suit different audiences.
• Proven record of developing business plans and consistently meeting/exceeding results.
• In-depth and fact-based analysis skills. We have few suppliers however we work with them on costing, people agenda, sustainability, and quality in detail, we strive to have a long-term relationship with them.
• Travel required (20-30%)
• Ability to build strong trustful relations with suppliers and stakeholders.
• Indirect leadership skills
• Organized and capable to prioritize and perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Have the energy, drive, and commitment to deliver better product for the many people.
• Ability to communicate in English and Spanish (both written and verbal are required). 
• The drive to be independent and autonomous to lead suppliers. There is indirect people management, however this role will not have direct reports.

At IKEA, we value diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We are committed to providing coworkers with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We encourage individualism and invite you to come join our team and be yourself with us! 

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristic protected by law. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need.  

Want to learn more about current opportunities? Come say Hej (hello in Swedish) here:  https://about.ikea.com/en/work-with-us