This role takes direct ownership of rolling out sustainable sourcing across KOSTAL’s international operations, translating corporate ESG commitments into concrete procurement practices. Working out of the Budapest business services hub, you will oversee supplier assessment platforms, conduct comprehensive supply chain due diligence, and turn raw ESG metrics into actionable procurement decisions.
In complex manufacturing for automotive and solar components, the primary environmental and social footprint sits within upstream suppliers. You will steer responsible sourcing by engaging global vendors, running targeted workshops, evaluating human rights and environmental risks, and integrating ratings like EcoVadis into everyday purchasing choices.
This suits someone who blends rigorous analytical capabilities with strong stakeholder engagement skills, bringing proven experience in supply chain sustainability assessment and vendor onboarding.
Job FAQs
What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?
The main mission is to embed sustainability into global procurement operations by managing ESG risk assessments, supplier evaluations, and responsible sourcing frameworks across KOSTAL Group.
Key responsibilities include administering sustainability platforms like EcoVadis, standardizing supplier ESG data collection, and orchestrating comprehensive supply chain due diligence in alignment with international regulations. You will design targeted engagement initiatives, including webinars and individual dialogues, to guide suppliers toward measurable performance improvements.
Over the long term, the role establishes critical KPIs, evaluates the cost-benefit trade-offs of responsible sourcing initiatives, and provides strategic recommendations to internal procurement leaders to build a resilient, compliant supply base.
Key learning opportunities for this job
Working in this position offers deep operational exposure to complex global automotive and electronics supply chains, allowing you to sharpen your expertise in end-to-end supply chain transparency.
You can expect to build specialized mastery in supply chain due diligence frameworks and regulatory mechanisms such as the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) and the European CSDDD. Exposure to group-level procurement strategies will also expand your capability to transform supplier ESG data into high-level business intelligence.
Additionally, direct collaboration with the Head of Global Supply Chain Sustainability and Group Sustainability leadership provides executive mentorship and opportunities to refine change management techniques across international teams.
How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?
The ideal candidate holds a university degree in Sustainability, Business, Economics, or an equivalent discipline, paired with at least five years of professional experience, including a minimum of three years focused on sustainable supply chains.
Essential technical qualifications include hands-on experience deploying supplier assessment platforms such as EcoVadis, conducting human rights and environmental risk assessments, and manipulating large datasets in Excel to produce executive reporting. Fluency in professional English is required to navigate cross-border communications.
Culturally, the role demands a collaborative influencer who balances analytical rigor with empathetic communication, capable of motivating resistant vendors while maintaining firm standards for corporate compliance.
Advice to stand out and make a successful application
To stand out, highlight concrete examples where your supplier engagement directly improved response rates, data transparency, or audit outcomes on platforms like EcoVadis or Sedex.
Demonstrate practical familiarity with manufacturing supply chains and key compliance standards such as the German LkSG or European supply chain directives. Show how you balance corporate procurement constraints with ambitious environmental and human rights objectives.
Tailor your application by articulating how you transform raw ESG numbers into clear, persuasive stories that procurement managers and external suppliers can readily act upon.
What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?
The position concentrates heavily on upstream value chain impacts, focusing on Scope 3 emissions visibility, human rights due diligence, and raw material traceability.
A central focus involves identifying environmental non-compliance, modern slavery risks, and fair labor practices among Tier 1 and sub-tier component manufacturers. You will help ensure supplier adherence to KOSTAL's Supplier Code of Conduct while driving baseline improvements.
Furthermore, the role supports overall decarbonization initiatives by monitoring supplier carbon targets and aligning procurement data with broader corporate sustainability reporting disclosures.
What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?
A frequent hurdle will be navigating varying levels of sustainability maturity and transparency among suppliers across diverse global jurisdictions, some of whom may resist rigorous reporting.
You will also need to balance competing organizational priorities, negotiating compromises between strict sustainability standards and immediate procurement constraints like cost, availability, and delivery timelines.
Maintaining clean, audit-ready data across thousands of international suppliers while keeping pace with rapidly shifting regulatory requirements will require high organizational precision and persistence.
How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?
A typical day might start by reviewing incoming supplier assessment scores on EcoVadis and auditing risk flags alongside the procurement operations team.
Midday could involve hosting an interactive workshop or webinar for international component suppliers to clarify updated carbon accounting or human rights requirements, followed by resolving vendor queries.
In the afternoon, you might synthesize quarterly ESG risk data, build dashboards for executive review, and sync with the Head of Global Supply Chain Sustainability on strategy adjustments.
What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?
Given the rising strategic importance of supply chain transparency in European manufacturing, this role provides significant visibility and career advancement potential.
Success in this post can lead to broader management roles overseeing entire responsible sourcing divisions, sustainable procurement categories, or corporate human rights programs.
Lateral opportunities also exist to transition into group-level ESG reporting, corporate strategy, or specialized supply chain risk management functions within KOSTAL's international network.
The main stakeholders you might be interacting with
You will regularly interface with the Group Head of Sustainability and the Head of Global Supply Chain Sustainability to align local initiatives with broader corporate objectives.
Internally, your key operational partners include Category Managers, Buyers, Quality Assurance, and Legal teams across various operating countries, ensuring integrated procurement decisions.
Externally, you will engage directly with senior executives, ESG managers, and account representatives from supplier companies, alongside external auditing and assessment partners such as EcoVadis.
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