Senior Sourcing Manager Marketing (all genders) 12 Months

THE ROLE & THE TEAM

Our team is a key part of the global Procurement organisation, responsible for sourcing Media, Marketing, and Content Services across the entire Zalando Group.

In this role, you will develop and execute procurement strategies for Marketing and Marketing tools and research related services. You will lead negotiations and contract management for agency partners, research and tech partners, consult on evaluation projects, enable data-driven decisions, and deliver measurable commercial value. You will regularly collaborate with internal stakeholders across all organisational levels, working closely with Marketing business unit leaders, Legal, and Finance.

WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)

You’ll take full ownership of end-to-end global sourcing strategies across Creative & Design Agencies, Marketing Tools, and Research to optimize spend, achieve commercial targets, and streamline agency/vendor rosters toward preferred partners.

You’ll build and scale standardized commercial models (rate cards, tiered pricing, usage rights, and SaaS licensing structures) for both strategic and tactical partners.

You’ll run complex tenders and commercial negotiations independently, structuring robust MSAs, SoWs, and SLAs alongside Legal to mitigate scope creep, delivery delays, and live-event or reputational risks.

You’ll lead Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) across your agency and vendor portfolio, establishing evaluation frameworks to track performance, align on joint KPIs, and drive continuous value and commercial compliance.

You’ll analyze marketing budgets and spend data using procurement tools to deliver clear cost-savings and cost-avoidance metrics to leadership, enabling fact-based decision-making.

You’ll track market trends, agency fee benchmarks, research pricing, and emerging AI-driven creative tools to continuously leverage modern commercial mechanics in negotiations.

You’ll act as a key procurement partner to Marketing Directors, Design Leads, Legal, and Finance, translating marketing goals into structured procurement initiatives.

WE’D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF

You have a degree in Business Administration, Economics, Marketing, or a related field and 4+ years of relevant professional experience, ideally within Marketing Procurement or Marketing Agency deal desk.

You come with a  strong interest in Marketing, with a solid understanding of creative & design production and relevant marketing tooling and research providers.

You convince with proven experience managing sourcing projects, complex negotiations, contract optimisation, and marketing partnership management.

You possess strong analytical capabilities and a problem-solving mindset, with a track record of achieving cost savings and process efficiencies within specific spend categories.

You have excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across different domains in a solution-oriented manner. Full professional proficiency in English is required.

OUR OFFER

Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.

27 days of holiday a year to start for full-time employees (+1 day for every calendar year up to 30 days)

2 paid volunteering days a year

Hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration

Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year

Employee shares program

40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners

Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)

Family services, including counseling and support

Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass)

Mental health support and coaching available

INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN

If you think you have what it takes, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles!

At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading European technology platform for fashion and lifestyle – one that thrives on diversity and is truly inclusive by design. We believe that diverse teams fuel innovation and creativity, and we actively seek out talent from all backgrounds.

We actively seek to reduce bias in our hiring and employment processes, focusing on your qualifications, skills, and contributions. To support this, we kindly ask that you refrain from including personal details such as your photo, age, or marital status in your CV, ensuring a fair and equitable evaluation based solely on your abilities and potential.

We are committed to providing an exceptional and accessible candidate experience for everyone. If you require any accommodations to support you throughout the hiring process, please let us know – we are here to assist you.

Discover more about our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion

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Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis), table; dl-de/by-2-0; StarIn's calculation