Director of Trading & Procurement

ABOUT ANDERCORE Andercore is the AI-native supplier of industrial materials for energy, infrastructure, and construction in wholesale and beyond. We trade with global suppliers and distribute to European customers on our own account. Our AI runs the full trade and distribution end-to-end: sourcing, quality, pricing, sales, logistics, and embedded financing. For the customer, it feels like buying from their preferred local supplier; for our partners, it is the most convenient and safe way to do business across borders. Behind it, our software and agentic AI do the heavy lifting that used to take an asset-intensive supply chain with four or five intermediaries and weeks of manual coordination. Where we are today: - Strong triple-digit-million euro turnover - Seven European markets live - 80+ people across Berlin (HQ), offices in London, Mumbai, and Shanghai $40M Series B just closed, $75M raised to date from Atomico, Project A, and Inven Capital, institutional financing from international banks. We are building the world's first and last industrial-grade AI operating system for materials, redefining how global trade works in one of the largest and most essential industries on earth. THE ROLE This is not a traditional procurement role. At Andercore, procurement is trading: fast-paced, market-driven, and executed daily — not on quarterly or annual cycles. You will lead a team of young and hungry category managers, through high-volume purchasing decisions in a dynamic environment where prices, availability, and supplier landscapes shift constantly. You will own end-to-end procurement strategy and execution: sourcing, onboarding to the system, supplier negotiations and disputes, pricing, team leadership, and process design. We need someone who can think strategically and execute operationally every single day — from setting category strategy to approving individual purchase orders. You will be in the driver seat to build the first AI automated trading engine - a unique opportunity in the industrial supply space. You report directly to the SVP Operations and sit on the operations leadership team. Andercore uses AI extensively across the business; you will be expected to leverage it to drive efficiency, margins, and scalability in procurement. WHAT YOU WILL DO - Build and run the procurement machine: Develop and execute procurement strategies that support a high 2-digit monthly procurement spend with exponential growth. Negotiate favourable terms, pricing, and contracts with suppliers on a daily basis. - Lead and develop the team: Manage 10+ team members, set clear priorities daily, coach emerging team leads, and create a culture of accountability and speed. You will need to be assertive and hands-on. - Create scalable processes: Design, implement, and continuously improve procurement workflows, playbooks, and controls. Processes are implemented in days and weeks at Andercore — not quarters and years. - Own supplier relationships: Source, evaluate, and onboard suppliers. Maintain and expand a high-quality supplier network with strong retention across existing and emerging markets. - Drive margin improvement: Identify cost-saving opportunities, optimise purchasing decisions, and improve payment terms to boost net revenue margin and cash cycle. - Collaborate cross-functionally: Work closely with Sales, Customer Success, Logistics, Accounting, and Product & Engineering to align supply with demand and ensure operational excellence. - Leverage data and AI: Use data to inform purchasing decisions, monitor supplier performance, and identify market trends. Embrace AI tools to automate and scale procurement operations. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE - Supplier revenue targets consistently met or exceeded through high availability and competitive pricing. - A robust, high-quality supplier network with strong retention and engagement across existing and emerging markets. - Streamlined, repeatable processes that reduce time-to-onboard, minimise errors, and allow the team to scale without linear headcount growth. - A high-performing, motivated team with emerging team leads and strong cross-functional collaboration. - Accurate, data-driven reporting that drives continuous improvement and informs executive strategy. - Run a category management that unlocks and owns new product lines WHO YOU ARE MUST-HAVES - Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from a top university or business school. - 2–5 years in a high-performance environment: Tier-1 strategy consulting (e.g. McKinsey, BCG, Bain) or commodity trading / high-velocity B2B procurement. - Proven ability to build processes and delegate effectively. You must be able to create systems that outlast your personal involvement — not do everything yourself. - Strong assertiveness and people leadership. You will manage a young team that needs clear direction, daily prioritisation, and coaching. - Ability to operate at both strategic and granular levels: setting category strategy in the morning and reviewing individual POs in the afternoon. - Excellent analytical and communication skills. Fluent English is required; German is a strong plus. - Comfortable with a high-intensity, fast-paced startup environment where priorities can shift daily. - Hard-working, proactive, and independent. Willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. NICE-TO-HAVES - Experience in marketplaces, SaaS, or construction / infrastructure / energy materials. - Exposure to AI-driven operations or automation of procurement workflows. - Familiarity with cross-border trade and international supplier management. THIS ROLE IS NOT FOR YOU IF… - Your procurement experience is in slow-cycle, enterprise purchasing (annual contracts, quarterly reviews). Our cadence is daily. - You are strong on analysis but weak on implementation. We need someone who executes, not just diagnoses. - You prefer to do things yourself rather than build teams and processes. Delegation and system-building are non-negotiable. - You need a fully structured environment to be effective. Here, you will create the structure. WHAT WE OFFER - A critical leadership role with direct impact on company growth and P&L. - Highly competitive compensation with performance-based incentives. - A smart, ambitious team backed by top-tier investors — building something that doesn’t exist yet. - Berlin headquarters with a global, multicultural operating environment. We are an equal-opportunity employer and welcome applicants from all backgrounds, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, or any other characteristic. We believe that diversity drives innovation, creativity, and collective strength.