Direct Strategic Sourcing Senior Manager

We are looking for a strategic and experienced Direct Strategic Sourcing Senior Manager to play a key role in supporting the sustainable growth journey of SunExpress. In this critical role, you will lead procurement initiatives for aircraft components, maintenance, and overhaul services, ensuring cost efficiency, supplier excellence, and long-term partnerships that support our operational reliability. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders to drive sourcing strategies, manage complex contracts, and strengthen our position in the aviation supply chain. If you are ready to make an impact in a dynamic, international environment and help shape the future of SunExpress, we look forward to your application.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field from a reputable university.
• Minimum 10 years of procurement, sourcing, and category management experience, ideally within large private sector organizations.
• Proven leadership experience in managing cross-functional teams and delivering strategic procurement initiatives.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English; knowledge of German is a plus.
• Procurement qualification (e.g., MCIPS) or willingness to pursue one.
• Strong proficiency with MS Office, ERP procurement modules (e.g., SAP), and eRFX tools; knowledge of contract management tools is desirable.
• Solid understanding of project management principles (e.g., PRINCE2 certification is advantageous).
• Expertise in supplier management, contract negotiations, and development of Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Experience working in complex, matrixed environments with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong competencies in strategic decision-making, change management, team leadership, and relationship building.
• Experience in the procurement of Aircraft components and maintenance services procurement, Engine and overhaul services, APU, Landing Gear, Wheel & Brake, and avionics systems.
• Understanding the supply markets and major players in the industries of MRO, OEM / aircraft components, PBH providers, PMA.
• Knowledge and familiarity with the Aircraft Leasing business
• Be able to understand, comprehend, and negotiate long-term, comprehensive, complex, and complicated contracts.

Responsibilities

• Lead, guide, and coach the team in developing and implementing category and sub-category strategies aligned with company objectives and major investments.
• Build and maintain an effective sourcing pipeline in line with annual planning and budgeting processes.
• Oversee departmental budgeting and allocate resources within the team.
• Identify training needs, support capability development, and manage team performance to meet KPIs and exceed stakeholder expectations.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, oversee procurement strategies, and drive improvements in cost, quality, service, and innovation.
• Advise senior stakeholders and project teams on sourcing processes, specifications, contract documentation, and negotiations.
• Represent the Procurement function and SunExpress externally with key suppliers when required.
• Monitor and report on team performance, savings targets, compliance levels, and other relevant KPIs.
• Collaborate with Governance and Transactional Procurement to ensure efficient implementation of new agreements and adherence to procure-to-pay processes.
• Act as a point of escalation for key supplier relationships and internal stakeholder concerns.
• Continuously monitor internal customer satisfaction and ensure contracted services meet expectations.
• Contribute to the development of procurement standards, policies, and promote best practices within the organization.
• Conduct market and industry analyses, utilizing price and cost modelling to drive value and improve efficiency.

SunExpress, as an Equal Opportunity Employer, welcomes all applicants independent of individual differences. We believe that having a diversified talent is our biggest strength. All decisions about our current and potential talent are based solely on criteria that have nothing to do with an applicant's attributes that are irrelevant to job performance; at SunExpress, we only focus on competency, know-how, skills, and experience.