Project Buyer

Are you ready to play a key role in driving innovation at one of the most forward-thinking companies in the agricultural sector? As our Project Buyer, you’ll take ownership of procurement activities within New Product Introduction (NPI) and Continuous Development (CD) projects and other special projects, such as benchmarking and process improvement projects, transforming concepts and designs into real solutions that improve the lives of farmers worldwide.

You will be working in a multidisciplinary team with colleagues from, among others, PD and integrated supply chain. You are the linking pin to our suppliers within this team. From the very first sketch to ramp-up for serial production, your role ensures that the right suppliers, materials according to specifications and budget, and timelines are in place to bring cutting-edge innovations and improvements to life.

Your main responsibilities include:

• Leading and coordinating procurement efforts within NPI and CD projects, from concept to serial production.
• Developing and maintaining project sourcing plans, aligning with Engineering and Integrated Supply Chain stakeholders.
• Acting as the primary procurement liaison in multidisciplinary project teams, translating technical, SCM and Operations needs, such as supply risk mitigation, lifecycle management and sustainability, into sourcing strategies, selection and contracting of suppliers.
• Advising key stakeholders regarding procurement consequences of proposed changes.
• Engaging suppliers early to ensure feasibility, cost-effectiveness and timely industrialization.
• Managing risks at supplier and item level, including assessment, mitigation planning and execution.
• Leading benchmark projects in cooperation with your procurement colleagues.
• Handling other procurement-related projects such as process improvements.
• Driving initiatives to evaluate and improve the procurement way of working in projects.

Wat is jouw ervaring?

You thrive in a project-based environment, bringing structure, overview, coordination and decisiveness to the table. You know how to balance innovation, cost and quality while managing complex internal stakeholders and suppliers. Your ability to align technical, business and procurement goals makes you a trusted partner across disciplines.

You bring the following:

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in procurement, preferably in a high-tech or manufacturing setting.
• Hands-on experience with project-based work such as NPI, CD and other procurement projects.
• Knowledge of early supplier involvement, industrialization processes, and cost and lifecycle modeling.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and technical communication skills.
• A team player that performs well under pressure and motivates others to reach the end goal.
• A structured and proactive project approach, with strong organizational, detail and time management capabilities.
• Willingness to travel internationally (approx. 10-20%).

Wat bieden wij jou?

Working at Lely means contributing to sustainable progress within one of the most innovative organizations in the Netherlands. You contribute to making the agricultural sector future-proof, and we make sure that you get all the space, resources and support you need to do so.

• An international working environment with opportunities for own initiative and entrepreneurship.
• Excellent working conditions, including up to 8 weeks of vacation per year and a good pension scheme.
• Good growth opportunities: you are in control of your development and can choose from various training courses through our Lely Academy, from personal development to job-specific training.
• Our modern Lely Campus offers daily access to extensive sports facilities: an indoor gym, outdoor padel courts, an outdoor basketball and volleyball court, table tennis and table soccer. You can join Hyrox workouts or sign up for personal training and challenge your colleagues during an active break.
• Enjoy fresh coffee and tea from our own barista, with milk straight from our farm, as well as a healthy and affordable company restaurant.
• A healthy work-life balance thanks to our hybrid work policy: you work at least three days a week on Campus, with flexible working hours and plenty of room to spend extra time on site (between 06:00 and 20:00).
• A free shuttle bus will take you to and from the metro in Maassluis, so your workday starts and ends smoothly.
• Successes need to be celebrated: from anniversaries to Christmas parties, at Lely we know how to do it.

Over Lely

Lely is committed to creating a sustainable, profitable, and enjoyable future in agriculture. Driven by the challenges farmers face and the needs of cows, we develop high-quality robots and data systems that improve animal welfare, flexibility, and productivity on dairy farms. Our mission is to support sustainable food production.