Procurement Cost Engineer

About the job

Job Title
Procurement Cost Engineer
Job Description
About Vanderlande
Vanderlande is a global leader in logistics process automation, specializing in automated material handling systems for airports, warehouses, and parcel operations. Our innovative solutions help move millions of products and pieces of luggage around the world every day. With a strong focus on technology, collaboration, and continuous improvement, we are committed to delivering reliable solutions for our customers while providing meaningful career opportunities for our employees.

About the Role
Vanderlande is seeking a Procurement Cost Engineer to drive cost optimization through comprehensive cost modeling and analysis. As a pivotal member of the global Procurement Center of Excellence (CoE), you will focus on developing should-cost models and providing insights to support strategic procurement decisions and cost reduction efforts.

Our global procurement organization enables our projects and business functions by maximizing value and minimizing risks via the procurement of goods and services in the smartest, cost-effective and sustainable way. We ensure a resilient and competitive supplier ecosystem and aim to advance towards best-in-class practices, and ensure the organization is efficient, effective, and future-proof. Furthermore, our procurement organization plays an important role in Vanderlande's transformation from an Engineer-to-Order (ETO) to a Configure-to-Order (CTO) business model. This new model aims at enhancing value for its customers through increased standardization, scalability, and more competitive solutions.

As a Procurement Cost Engineer, you will gather and analyze design and cost data to build and maintain cost models for supporting Sales with budgets and build and maintain related should-cost models, compare these estimates with supplier quotes, and prepare reports to identify cost saving opportunities. Your detailed cost analysis will support procurement negotiations, and you will contribute to refining cost modeling processes and tools.

About the team
The Procurement Center of Excellence (CoE) team at Vanderlande is a dynamic group of professionals dedicated to providing strategic support and enhancing demand and supply management capabilities. Comprising diverse roles such as RfX Specialists, Contract Administration Specialists, Procurement Reporting Analysts, Procurement Cost Engineers, Procurement Market Insight Analysts, and Supplier Onboarding Specialists, the team collaborates closely with the demand and supply management teams to deliver high-quality support and insights. Operating across global and regional centers, our team thrives on collaboration, continuous learning, and a commitment to excellence, making a significant impact on the organization’s success.

• Key Responsibilities
• Gather and analyze cost-related data from various sources, including raw material prices, labor rates, and manufacturing processes to support the development of cost models and should-cost models at the component, assembly, or system level
• Perform cost maintenance and design related updates, on Computer Aided Pricing software tool (CAP) equipment records and track and report cost differences between product lifecycle milestones records
• (Current state) Item selection for CAP records
• Build and maintain detailed (should) cost models including cost drivers of current and future products and services that provide insights into the theoretical minimum costs for products and services, with input from technology information
• Maintain and set-up equipment cost calculations in Computer Aided Cost Estimation software tool (Facton EPC)
• Compare should-cost estimates with supplier quotes and market prices, and prepare reports highlighting discrepancies and potential cost-saving opportunities
• Provide detailed cost analysis to support procurement negotiations with suppliers, helping to achieve favorable terms and cost reductions. Be an active member of the procurement negotiation team with suppliers
• Contribute to the refinement of cost modeling processes and tools, suggesting improvements based on feedback and evolving business needs
• Add value to Value Engineering and DFX projects by providing should cost estimations or cost drivers for mechanical and/or electrical equipment during the development phases

• Requirements
• Proven experience (3-7 years) in engineering, analyzing and interpreting cost data, preferably procurement-specific data using an established cost engineering tool (e.g., Facton) and in a manufacturing environment (material costs, production costs)
• Proficiency in data languages (e.g., SQL, Python, R) and analytics tools, capable of extracting and interpreting complex datasets to identify trends, patterns, and insights for further cost modelling and forecasting
• Proficiency in data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Excel) to effectively communicate financial and cost insights. Set scope and find internal support at other departments, in putting together reporting & visualization
• Advanced skills in conducting should-cost modeling to assess product and service cost drivers and total cost of ownership (TCO)
• Ability to independently handle ad-hoc cost engineering and analysis requests alongside the creation of recurring reports
• Proven experience in translating technological design data into financial cost data and being able to determine cost drivers, using known cost engineering techniques
• Knowledge / experience in cost engineering (CE) and value engineering (VE)
• Proven experience in Data Management (JDE, and Enovia) & Tools (Computer Aided Cost Estimation Software (Facton EPC) and/or CAP)
• Familiarity with procurement processes and supply chain management
• Excellent collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders
• Proficiency in English for clear communication within an international team setting

Equal Employment Opportunity
Vanderlande is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations as required by law.