Head of Product & Supplier Management

The Opportunity

We are looking for a Head of Product & Supplier Management to lead and evolve our Product & Supplier Management function in Italy.

This role plays a key part in driving sustainable and profitable growth by shaping a competitive product offering and building strong, value-driven supplier partnerships. With a customer-first mindset, you will contribute to aligning local priorities with the broader EMEA strategy, operating in a fast-paced, matrixed and international environment.

You will lead a high-performing team, fostering a progressive and forward-thinking culture, while continuously identifying new ways to enhance the impact of the function in a rapidly evolving, digital landscape.

What You Will Be Doing

• Leading, developing and empowering the Product & Supplier Management team, fostering a culture of ownership and continuous improvement

• Defining and executing category and supplier strategies to drive sustainable growth across product groups

• Building and strengthening strategic partnerships with key suppliers, identifying opportunities for joint value creation

• Driving commercial performance, including pricing strategies, promotional activities and new product introduction roadmaps

• Collaborating cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain and Operations to ensure end-to-end business success

• Providing insights on market trends, supplier performance and competitive landscape to support decision-making

• Ensuring effective supplier governance and performance management, maximizing value and reliability

• Acting as a key point of contact for inventory and supplier delivery performance, working closely with Supply Chain teams

• Representing the Italian market within the EMEA Product & Supplier Management community

• Engaging with customers to ensure a strong understanding of evolving needs and market trends

What You Will Bring

• Extensive experience in Product Management, Category Management and/or Supplier Management

• Experience in B2B industrial distribution or similarly complex environments

• Strong commercial and strategic mindset, with the ability to drive growth and profitability

• Proven experience in leading, developing and inspiring high-performing teams

• Strong experience in supplier relationship management and negotiation

• Ability to develop and implement strategies, set performance goals and monitor results

• Experience in budget management and workflow planning

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a data-driven approach

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders

• Ability to operate effectively in a matrix and international environment

• Demonstrated ability to build lasting, value-driven relationships

• Ability to perform effectively in fast-paced and complex environments

• Proactive mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation

We Are RS

We’ve been solving industry problems for over 80 years. We turn the ‘what ifs’ into the ‘why nots’, the impossible into the possible.

Our purpose? Making amazing happen for a better world.

We offer service and product solutions to over 1.2 million customers globally, shipping a parcel every 2 seconds to over 130 countries. With over 800,000 stocked and 3 million unstocked products, we’re a trusted partner to the world’s leading industries.

We’re looking for curious, driven, and empathetic professionals to join our journey. People who think differently, act with purpose, and want to make a real impact.

Are you ready to explore the possibilities? Apply now and make RS a part of your journey!