Senior Strategic Direct Procurement Buyer (all genders)

About tonies:

tonies is the globally leading interactive audio platform for children with more than 10 million Tonieboxes and 125 million Tonies sold. The intuitive and award-winning audio system has changed the way young children play and learn independently with its child-safe, wireless, and screen-free approach. Tonieboxes have been activated in over 100 countries, the content portfolio includes around 1,400 Tonies in several languages. Since its inception, tonies has achieved significant milestones, including listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in November 2021 as well as a globally present team of over 550 dedicated professionals operating from various countries.

Joining our tonies team means being part of an inspiring mission to create innovative and meaningful experiences for children around the world. Together, we’re shaping the future of play, learning, and imagination.

You as part of tonies:

As Senior Strategic Direct Procurement Buyer (all genders), you play a vital role in evolving our global sourcing organization with focus on the procurement category devices. You ensure that our procurement processes are resilient, agile, and built on strong partnerships. Working closely with our Sourcing Hub in Asia, you help shape category strategies and run global RfQ processes from initial market analysis to successful awarding.

In this role, you are a key partner to Product Development. By engaging in the earliest stages of ideation, you facilitate early supplier involvement, ensuring technical feasibility and cost transparency are integrated into our products from day one.

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• Strategic Collaboration: Contribute to creating sourcing strategies for direct procurement, with a dedicated focus on devices.
• Interface Management : Act as a vital bridge between our Düsseldorf headquarters and the Asia Sourcing Hub to ensure global alignment and successful strategy implementation.
• Innovation Partnership : Partner with Product Development during early concept and design phases to integrate supplier expertise and technological trends.
• Resilience & Risk Mitigation: Conduct market research and risk assessments to identify alternative sourcing opportunities (second-sourcing) and safeguard business continuity.
• Identify & Onboard new suppliers: Run global RfQs with cross-functional support and coordinate the onboarding of a new supplier after awarding.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Foster transparent communication between Engineering, Quality, Production, and Supply Chain to harmonize HQ goals with global execution.
• Analytical Decision Support: Evaluate complex BOMs and market trends to provide clear insights for strategic sourcing decisions.

What we are looking for:

• Degree in Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in strategic procurement or category management, ideally within the consumer electronics or manufacturing industry.
• Solid understanding of ODM (Original Development Manufacturers), EMS production processes, and the global electronics market.
• Solid understanding of the toy industry incl. regulatory requirements.
• Ability to assess "single-source" risks and develop proactive mitigation strategies, such as stocking agreements or component lifecycle management (EOL).
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build relationships across different functions and cultures.
• Fluency in English & conversational level (B2+) in German.
• Willingness to travel internationally (approx. 20–30%) and a preference for a hybrid working environment.

Why tonies?

• Global Teamwork: We collaborate across departmental and country borders on our vision to bring the Toniebox into every child's room in the world.
• Come as you are: This applies not only to the dress code but also to everything else. Because only where you truly feel comfortable can you give your best.
• Mobility : Choose the option that suits you best - a Deutschlandticket (public transport ticket) for unlimited mobility, a monthly contribution for an office parking space, a leasing bicycle, or a remote work subsidy.
• Enhanced Security : Benefit from subsidies for company pension plans, occupational pension schemes, and occupational disability insurance.
• Rest & Time Off: Enjoy 30 days of paid annual leave plus three additional days off such as Rosenmontag, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve. After one year of employment, you can also use up to 10 "toniecation days" (unpaid leave days).
• Continuous Learning: Benefit from our internal and external training opportunities as well as an individual learning budget to continuously expand your knowledge.
• Language Learning & Relaxation : Improve your communication skills with the language learning app Babbel and find relaxation through our access to the meditation app Calm.
• Discounts : Benefit from attractive discounts on our entire range of tonies products.

Good to know:

As part of our principles, we are committed to supporting inclusion and diversity at tonies. We actively celebrate our colleagues’ different abilities, ethnicities, faith and gender. Everyone is welcome and supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Sabine Schykowski
Talent Acquisition Manager