Research and Development Purchasing Lead

About the role

At Proxima Fusion, we're driven by a bold mission - to redefine the future of sustainable energy. Our unique concept, built upon the groundbreaking W7-X stellarator and the latest advances in technology, paves the way for commercially viable fusion power plants. What's more, our work in stellarator optimization, powered by cutting-edge computation and machine learning, is propelling us into uncharted territories of fusion technology. New higher performance design points are unlocked by high temperature superconducting magnets. To fully grasp this huge opportunity, we're building a team of extremely dedicated and passionate people who come together driving something extraordinary, radically transforming technology in the world. WHY JOIN PROXIMA FUSION You will get to work on some of the most complex tech challenges to bring abundant, safe, clean energy to the world. You'll get to join and learn from an exceptional selection of accomplished and driven individuals. Do your life's best work and enjoy the journey. Get to show that big things are possible in Europe when you assemble the best talent.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Category Ownership: Take full responsibility for sourcing strategies across Indirect categories, including R&D technical materials, Lab CAPEX, IT, and Professional Services.
• Process Architecture & Operations: Design and implement scalable "Procure-to-Pay" processes that balance financial compliance with speed in collaboration with the finance team. You will identify and implement the right procurement tools (e.g., ERP modules, Coupa) to automate routine purchasing.
• Stakeholder Partnership: Act as the strategic advisor to Engineering and Operations leadership. You will translate complex technical requirements into commercial tenders and contracts, helping departments forecast major expenditures.
• Supplier Relations: Negotiate framework agreements and handle high-value contracts to secure cost savings and minimize risk, specifically for complex technical equipment and services.

Requirements

• Experience: 5+ years in purchasing with a dedicated focus on Indirect Procurement, MRO, or R&D Sourcing.
• Autonomy: You have a proven ability to work independently and set your own roadmap. You don't wait for instructions; you see a gap in the process and fix it.
• Technical Savvy: Experience buying for technical environments (labs, manufacturing, engineering) is essential. You understand the difference between OPEX and CAPEX.
• Systems: Experience implementing or optimizing procurement software (Coupa, SAP, Oracle, etc.) is a strong plus.
• INTERVIEW PROCESS
• Recruiter Interview (30-60 min)
• Technical Screening (30 min)
• Technical Panel (3x60 min)
• CEO call (30 min)
• *This role sits at L3 of our framework, please inquire during the recruitment process for further information.

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