Lead Expert Fashion Procurement (all genders)

THE ROLE & THE TEAM

We are looking for a Lead Expert (all genders) to drive commercial value and procurement excellence within our critical Fashion Procurement function and across all of our Customer Propositions. In this high-impact role, you will act as a strategic business ally, translating complex functional demands into future-proof procurement strategies and long-term, sustainable and profitable growth.

You will assume full ownership of commercial and procurement activities, negotiate game-changing agreements, and deliver high-impact financial performance both top- and bottom-line. If you are a collaborative leader who thrives on building powerful executive alliances and executing complex, multi-million-euro contract frameworks, this role offers an incredible platform to shape operations at scale and design the future of our commercial ventures.

INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN

If you think you have what it takes, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles!

At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce – one that thrives on diversity and is truly inclusive by design. We believe that diverse teams fuel innovation and creativity, and we actively seek out talent from all backgrounds.

We actively seek to reduce bias in our hiring and employment processes, focusing on your qualifications, skills, and contributions. To support this, we kindly ask that you refrain from including personal details such as your photo, age, or marital status in your CV, ensuring a fair and equitable evaluation based solely on your abilities and potential.

We are committed to providing an exceptional and accessible candidate experience for everyone. If you require any accommodations to support you throughout the hiring process, please let us know – we are here to assist you.

Discover more about our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion

WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)

• You’ll define, steer, and execute a holistic procurement strategy for the Fashion Procurement and Customer Propositions, aligning key initiatives directly with overall company goals

• You'll support your leadership team in mapping long-term commercial targets

• You’ll take full ownership of defining, measuring, and delivering on robust financial and procurement KPIs (such as Gross Margin, profitable growth and commercial trade terms improvement) across your entire designated scope of spend

• You’ll spearhead/support the relationship journey with your top strategic Fashion partners by establishing long-lasting, future-proof alliances and regularly engaging with partners to unlock innovation and continuous value

• You’ll confidently navigate a complex corporate matrix to build powerful internal alliances with senior management and executive leaders (VP+) and act as a master mediator to resolve deep-seated conflicts of interest across business units, successfully guiding diverse groups toward strategic consensus

• You’ll restructure and insulate your team to absorb operational risks and foresee systemic challenges before they impact operations

• You'll leverage superior procurement capabilities to negotiate and close highly complex contract structures, perfectly balancing financial, legal, tax, and compliance implications

WE’D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF

• You come with proven experience operating in highly sophisticated commercial environments or broad procurement fields,you possess a stellar track record of managing expansive spend portfolios, commercial strategies, and closing complex, high-stakes contract setups

• You possess advanced financial expertise in P&L and Cash Flow analysis and management and are able to autonomously develop complex financial models and simulations using tools like Google Sheets, BI and Python with confidence and ease

• You have strong capabilities in constructing and communicating long-term (>3 year) category or business development strategies, combined with  a sharp eye for fashion/market trends, disruption opportunities, and complex commercial variables

• You have a highly analytical mind with an advanced grasp of financial figures and corporate data while being capable of translating intricate strategic, business and financial metrics into clean, visual formats that shape executive decision-making

• You convince with fluent professional English communication skills (verbal, written, and visual), with an innate ability to calibrate your delivery style to align beautifully with either strict technical corporate compliance (legal, tax, accounting) or creative commercial business heads

• You bear a Bachelor’s or Master's degree in Business Administration, Sourcing, Supply Chain Management, Finance, or an equivalent quantitative or commercial discipline

OUR OFFER

Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.

• 27 days of holiday a year to start for full-time employees (+1 day for every calendar year up to 30 days)

• 2 paid volunteering days a year

• Hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration

• Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year

• Employee shares program

• 40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners

• Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)

• Family services, including counseling and support

• Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass)

• Mental health support and coaching available