Procurement Manager

POSTED: 7th August 2025
STARTING DATE: As soon as possible
FULL TIME, ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

MISSION TO METRICS

The mission of The Ocean Cleanup is to develop technology to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. To achieve our mission, we need the deployment of our systems to run smoothly and successfully. The Procurement Manager will have succeeded when all our Sourcing and Procurement activities are running optimally.

“As we transition into a scale-up phase, we are excited to expand our team with a proactive Procurement Manager who will play a pivotal role in this journey. In our fast-paced and informal environment, this individual will be entrusted with significant responsibilities. We are looking for someone who thrives in collaborative settings, enjoys working with multidisciplinary teams, and values strong relationships with our suppliers. This role is not just about procurement; it’s about supporting our business with effective processes and tools that will drive our Team into the next phase of growth. I am eager to welcome an energetic, knowledgeable self-starter who is ready to make a meaningful impact as we enhance our operations and scale our efforts at The Ocean Cleanup.” -Tatjana Scroggie, Supply Chain Director

THE ASSIGNMENT

We are hiring an experienced and well-structured Procurement Manager whose passion is being the ”go-to person” for Sourcing and Procurement, and who loves to exchange ideas with, and be a business partner to our bright and technical crew. As a Procurement Manager, you will be responsible for operational procurement activities and managing supplier relationships. You will report to the Supply Chain Director and work closely with your colleagues in the Supply Chain team to ensure end to end execution.
You will help identify improvements to the structure, processes, and supporting content around how we engage with and support our stakeholders and suppliers across the organization.

Procurement:

• Organize and manage the end-to-end procurement process, including sourcing, ordering and receiving.
• Build and maintain relationships with key suppliers to ensure quality, cost-effectiveness and timely delivery of goods and services.
• Analyze market trends and supplier performance to identify opportunities for cost savings and efficiency improvements.
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with supplier performance and procurement processes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to forecast demand and manage the requirements accordingly.
• Ensure compliance with policies and procedures and maintain accurate procurement records.
• Support management of the contract lifecycle, for example performance management, incremental value identification, risk mitigation and contract exit.

Stakeholder Management:

• Maintain alignment with internal stakeholders regarding operational procurement priorities, objectives, issues and decision-making processes
• Provide updates concerning suppliers, market developments, and potential risks
• Be a functional broker, representing and supporting implementation of policies and guidelines from Procurement, Legal, Finance and IT.

Data Management:

• Collect, consolidate and manage of all relevant data related to suppliers, products, prices, and categories
• Ensure data are standardized, timely updated, and accurate at all times
• Leverage technology solutions to streamline procurement operations and improve data management.
• Develop reporting requirements (and self-serve where necessary) enabling all types of analysis, including forecasts
• Use these data, reports, and analyses as a basis for insights and benchmarks to identify best practices, synergies, and optimization opportunities and to develop procurement strategies

Processes:

• Execute due-diligence tasks for defined portfolio and ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and relevant regulations in all procurement activities.
• Draft and execute initiatives in the area of process definition, digitalization of procurement, improved ways of working and performance measurement.
• Actively support digital and improvement projects
• Execute plans for supplier downsizing/internationalizing/creating a set of preferred suppliers

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
“Even if you don’t meet every professional qualification listed, we strongly encourage you to apply if you believe you have the right skills, experience, and motivation to contribute to our mission. We recognize that talent and potential come in many forms, and we value diverse perspectives and unconventional career paths. If you’re passionate about the work we do and confident in your ability to make an impact, don’t hesitate to submit your application—we’d love to hear from you”

• A degree in a relevant field such as supply chain
• More than 5 years of experience in Procurement and Supply Chain
• Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in closing negotiations in both Goods and Services procurement
• Experience working in different cultural settings internally and externally
• Excellent English language skills (including written), Spanish / Dutch language skills would be preferred
• Experience with Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Sharepoint is required. Experience with S4 HANA is preferred.

PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Self-motivated, “can do” mentality
• Intrinsic motivation to work on our ambitious and meaningful goal
• Proactive attitude
• Independent and flexible
• Able to perform well in a fast-paced and highly challenging environment
• Strong communicator and team player
• Flexible and comfortable in a continuously changing environment
• Results-driven and self-motivated, even when faced with adversity and setbacks
• Intrinsic motivation to work on our ambitious and meaningful goal
• Ability to travel

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

• Starting date As soon as possible;
• Location : The role is based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
• Please note: because we are a non-profit, our salaries reflect that of an organization fully reliant on donations rather than that of a commercial entity. Conducting a pre-employment check may be part of this recruitment process. At The Ocean Cleanup, we believe we are stronger together, while harnessing the uniqueness each individual brings. That is why we take a fair, equal opportunity, and transparent approach to hiring and welcome special needs requests.