SVP Purchasing for Volvo Penta

The Volvo Group drives prosperity through transport solutions, offering trucks, buses, construction equipment, power solutions for marine and industrial applications, financing and services that increase our customers’ uptime and productivity. Founded in 1927, the Volvo Group is committed to shaping the future landscape of sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions. Countless career opportunities are offered across the group’s leading brands and entities that share a culture of Trust, Passion, High Performance, Change and Customer Success. www.volvogroup.com/career

With Volvo Penta, a world-leading supplier of engines and complete drive systems for marine and industrial applications, you will be part of a global and diverse team of highly skilled professionals who works with passion, trust each other and embraces change to stay ahead. We make our customers win.

Volvo Penta is now searching for an engaged, visionary executive leader with ability to provide an inspiring leadership in the position as Senior Vice President Purchasing.

The Volvo Penta vision is to be the world leader in sustainable power solutions. We have a history of innovation and enjoy strong market positions based on our products, service offers and customer focused mindset. Our employees describe Volvo Penta as a great place to work, built upon respect and commitment. We encourage people to take individual responsibility and offer exciting assignments in a highly innovative environment.

The world is changing faster than ever. In some ways, for a company, things are still the same: to lead and support our customers and make them successful in their mission. However, in other ways, globalization, digitalization and new technologies to better meet climate challenges are completely changing the game. The role of purchasing and building trustworthy supply chains is more central than ever.

Purchasing plays a major role in Volvo Penta’s performance when it comes to managing cost, quality and delivery precision. ​Purchasing is also a vital part of our sustainability transformation in relation to new technology and partnerships. Within the coming 5-10 years, the need for partnerships and collaborations will accelerate even further.​ To better meet the new environment, we are now creating a Global Purchasing function.

The role:

The Senior Vice President will lead and coordinate Volvo Penta’s Global Purchasing organization. Your role will report directly to the President of Volvo Penta and be a member of Volvo Penta Executive Management Group. You will also be a part of the Volvo Group Purchasing Community headed by Volvo Group CPO.

Key responsibilities

Your role will be to lead, drive and be responsible for the performance of Volvo Penta’s Global Purchasing organization. You will also lead the vision and strategy for the department transformation, which will have a significant impact on the company’s success.

You will lead a team of Purchasing Managers, manage suppliers’ relationships and negotiations, foster cross-functional collaboration, drive global segment purchasing strategies and common ways of working. You will also ensure a strong collaboration with Group Trucks Purchasing (GTP) and other purchasing organizations inside the Volvo Group.

In this role you drive, promote and grow sustainability initiatives (Climate, Resources and People) and ensure full alignment with Volvo Group Sustainability Strategy and Science Based Targets initiative.

One key focus area is driving the Volvo Group renewable energy Purchasing Strategy. Your role in assuring Volvo Penta’s sustainability targets is instrumental.

You are responsible for the budget and operating expenses and drive the Volvo Penta Global Purchasing department in alignment with our Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Priorities. You secure financial/cost targets and KPIs fulfillment and, when needed, you will sign off Purchasing Agreements in accordance with authorization directives. The Purchasing departments has a huge impact on the result of the company.

You will have a responsibility in building partnerships and mergers and acquisitions in order to build Volvo Penta’s supply chain strategy for the future. As a member of the executive team, you will actively contribute to develop and execute Volvo Penta’s overall business

Your profile and experience

Your leadership qualities will be very important in this role. Extensive professional experience from executive positions with overall responsibility of the whole scope of purchasing from a global environment is needed. You have strong strategic thinking and understand the transformation challenges in the transportation business

Your ability to empower, inspire and build relations will be key. As a leader, you live and breathe our company values: Trust, Customer Success, Passion, Change and Performance. You understand the importance of communicating a clear vison and goal, you know how to engage a global and multi-cultural team.

In Volvo Penta we work with Inclusion to succeed, Courage to transform and Grow to win. This means for leaders to foster an environment of diversity and inclusiveness, to dare to challenge the status quo and lead in a way that inspires to creativity. Grow to win is not only about being the best in our business, but also about growing our employees and with a growth mindset take on the future for great customer success.

You have excellent financial skills and can manage different requirements and expectations in a global multicultural business environment through your negotiation skills.

Since networking and cross functional collaboration is vital in this role, great communication and skills in terms of both dialogue and presentations are needed. You also have great relationship building skills.

You will operate in a truly global context, and that is why fluency in English is required.

Location: Gothenburg.
If you are looking for a global challenge in a highly innovative area, you are most welcome with your application. We are looking forward to meeting you!

Volvo Penta cooperates with Maquire in this recruitment. We welcome your application at maquire.se until October 9, 2022. If you have any questions, please contact Christina Fredriksson +46 702-715140 or christina.fredriksson@maquire.se