Technical Procurement Manager

🌊 Who we are?

At Aquablu we're disrupting the marketplace with a revolutionary (flavored) water system. Brought to life in 2018, our founders Marnix and Marc promised a healthy but tasty alternative to soft drinks. Since launching our flagship system Aquablu REFILL in 2023, we've grown 300%+ year-over-year, expanded to 16 countries, and were named the Fastest Growing Tech Company in Health & Wellness in the Netherlands.

We're an AI-native company. From engineering to sales to operations, we build with AI from day one — not as an afterthought, but as a core part of how we design systems and make decisions.

About the role

We're looking for a Procurement Manager to build our procurement function from scratch — designing an AI-driven, scalable operation that transforms a fully outsourced process into a strategic in-house capability powering Aquablu's next phase of growth.

Here's what makes this role unique: Aquablu is a vertically integrated hardware company. We design, engineer and develop everything in-house — from industrial design and mechanical engineering to embedded software and IoT connectivity. We then work with external contract manufacturers to assemble our products. That means procurement sits at the heart of the business: you'll be the critical link between our R&D teams designing the next generation of products and the external partners who bring them to life.

This isn't about slotting into an existing system. There is no system yet. You'll architect the procurement function with AI and automation built into its DNA from the start — designing workflows where AI handles the heavy lifting on spend analysis, supplier evaluation, demand forecasting, and contract management, so you can focus on strategy, relationships, and scale. We don't want a traditional procurement setup that we "add AI to" later. We want you to build the 2026 version from day one

You'll report to the Head of Operations and work closely with Engineering, Operations, and Finance.

What you will do

Architect an AI-native procurement function from zero. Design the procurement strategy, select and implement tooling (ERP, procurement platforms, AI agents), and build processes where automation and intelligence are the default — not the exception. You own the blueprint, and that blueprint should scale to 10x volume without 10x headcount.

Build smart supplier intelligence. Go beyond spreadsheets: set up systems that use AI to continuously monitor supplier performance, flag risks, benchmark pricing, and surface sourcing opportunities. Turn procurement data into a strategic asset.

Source and manage a complex, multi-category supply base. Our BOM spans mechanical components (sheet metal, plastics, tubing), electronics (PCBs, displays, sensors), food-grade consumables (flavor cartridges, CO2, filters), and packaging. You'll identify, qualify, and negotiate with suppliers across all of these.

Own supplier relationships and negotiations. From first contact to long-term partnership — negotiate pricing, payment terms, MOQs, lead times, and quality agreements. Build a supplier base that can scale with us internationally as we expand across Europe and beyond.

Collaborate deeply with R&D and Engineering. Work with our VP of Engineering and product design team during new product introduction (NPI) to ensure components are sourceable, cost-effective, and available at scale. You'll have a seat at the table from the earliest design phase.

Drive cost optimization with data, not gut feel. Use AI-powered spend analysis, should-cost modeling, and scenario planning to continuously improve landed cost — all in lockstep with our Head of Quality & Compliance. Automate the routine so you can focus on the strategic.

Manage demand planning and inventory. Coordinate with Operations and our Supply Chain Coordinator to translate sales forecasts into purchase orders, manage safety stock, and prevent both stockouts and excess inventory — leveraging predictive tools rather than manual planning.