Interim Chief Procurement Officer – CPO (m/f) – Machinery and plant engineering
Take executive ownership of procurement. Build an agenda that lasts beyond your assignment.
The assignment and starting situation
A machinery and plant engineering company in Northern Germany is reshaping procurement during a leadership transition. It needs an Interim CPO who can lead the function and connect commercial priorities with supply continuity. The challenge brings together project requirements, international suppliers and competing internal expectations. You establish a shared understanding of the situation and translate it into decisions that executive leadership and the procurement team can understand and implement.
Your brief
Your assignment is to lead procurement through the transition. You assess suppliers and categories, prioritise commercial opportunities and establish clear decision paths while keeping daily operations effective. Working with the responsible leaders, you develop an agenda that addresses immediate needs and the longer-term development of the procurement organisation.
Your responsibilities
- Clarify assignment objectives, decision rights and executive expectations.
- Assess organisation, spend and the supplier landscape to establish priorities.
- Lead strategic negotiations and cross-functional procurement initiatives.
- Align leaders and teams around clear actions and verifiable outcomes.
- Document decisions, ongoing work and risks for an effective handover.
- Agree with finance how savings, cost avoidance and supply effects will be distinguished and reported transparently.
Your experience
- Experience as a CPO, VP Procurement or Head of Procurement with a comparable remit.
- A track record of leading change programmes and demanding negotiations.
- Credibility with executive stakeholders and the ability to navigate new organisations quickly.
- Business-fluent German and English.
Your scope of responsibility
You work within an explicitly agreed mandate. Leadership scope, budget responsibility and decision authority are defined in the briefing. The title alone does not grant unrestricted powers. What matters is taking ownership, making decisions transparent and involving the appropriate stakeholders promptly when priorities conflict.
What should remain after your assignment
The intended handover includes prioritised categories, transparent negotiation outcomes and clear leadership responsibilities. It captures assumptions, risks and the reasoning behind important decisions as well as outstanding actions. Permanent leadership should be able to continue the work without starting the assessment again.
Assignment arrangements
- Industry: Machinery and plant engineering
- Region: Northern Germany
- Start: At short notice by agreement
- Planned duration: 6–9 months
- Commitment: 4 days per week
- Working arrangement: 3 days on site, 1 remote day
- Travel: Up to 20% international travel
- Engagement model: independent interim assignment. Commercial terms and the specific engagement are agreed before starting.
Working with DP
Dümpelfeld Partners supports selection and the assignment through personal dialogue. The client remains anonymous in the public advert. Apply with your CV and, if you wish, add your availability and experience from comparable assignments. No cover letter or account is required. We share your full CV with the client only with your explicit consent for that disclosure. Joining the talent pool is optional and is not a condition of this application. Contact [email protected] with questions about the role.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a consulting project or a leadership assignment?
The focus is temporary procurement leadership and implementation. Recommendations support the work with the team, suppliers and executive stakeholders; they do not replace it.
What decision rights come with the assignment?
The remit covers procurement leadership. Specific budget, people and signing authorities are agreed with the client before the assignment starts.
Apply for this assignment
No account and no cover letter required. The role and reference number are included automatically.
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