Strategy Manager

The organisation

Kramp Group is the ultimate one-stop shop and strategic partner for every agricultural dealership in Europe. The wholesaler supplies over 500,000 different spare parts and accessories for clients in agriculture, forest & grass care, and construction, along with a broad portfolio of technical support and business solutions. Kramp employs over 3,500 employees and operates from its headquarters in Varsseveld, The Netherlands, eleven distribution centers, and twenty-four sales offices across Europe. The company is well-known for its reliability, exceptional service, next-day delivery on thousands of items, and excellent value for money.     

Kramp is much more than just a supplier of parts. By investing in digitization, e-commerce, and innovation, Kramp stays ahead of its competitors and strengthens its leading market position. The wholesaler boasts healthy profitability and a turnover of over one billion euros annually. Over the past years, the company has shown remarkable growth, mainly fueled by its digital transformation and a strong focus on e-commerce. As a leading player in its industry – and supported by investor NPM Capital – Kramp is perfectly positioned to continue its expansion.  

"Kramp still feels like the start-up we were over seventy years ago. We have the spirit of a family business and the international success of a large multinational." – Eddie Perdok, CEO  

Next year will be crucial for Kramp as the company will chart its course for 2030. The Corporate Development team plays a central role in defining Kramp’s strategic direction. The team identifies and maps out opportunities for growth through organic expansion, M&A, and innovations and technologies such as AI (e.g., ChatGPT), electrification, and data.  

The position

Driven by its digital transformation, Kramp is showing remarkable growth. Its new Strategy Manager will identify and implement strategic initiatives that accelerate the expansion of Europe’s leading agricultural wholesaler. The breadth of topics and exposure to senior management make the role a perfect landing spot for an experienced strategy professional.  

Tasks & responsibilities

As part of Kramp’s Corporate Development team, the Strategy Manager will design and execute the wholesaler’s corporate strategy. They will translate the overall direction into actionable business plans and support the teams in their implementation. Additionally, the Strategy Manager will prepare and present comprehensive discussion documents and progress updates to stakeholders, including Kramp’s senior management. They will report to the Corporate Development Director and get the freedom to adopt a hybrid working model.  

"The Corporate Development Department springboards our future leaders. It is a great landing spot where they can get to know our business and ready themselves for exciting next steps, e.g., in country management or group functions." – Franc Verhage, Corporate Development Director

The Strategy Manager will spearhead strategic initiatives from start to finish and lead cross-functional project teams. They will define deliverables, scope, timelines, and milestones, set up business cases, conduct analyses, coordinate with teams and departments, and synthesize findings and recommendations. The Strategy Manager will also take full ownership of the alignment with stakeholders, involving them on relevant topics, creating buy-in, and ensuring cohesion between all initiatives, departments, and teams within Kramp.       

There is a wide range of topics the Strategy Manager could focus on. Examples include the expansion towards new geographies, industries, and business models, assortment and brand strategies, the acceleration of country performance (involving occasional international travel), and standardization in systems and operating models. When looking at geographic expansion, the Strategy Manager will, for example, analyze local competitors and market dynamics and will strategize how to best enter the market: with a partner, greenfield, or through an acquisition. Another topic could be Kramp’s potential industry expansion. Spare and wear parts are relevant in a lot of industries beyond agriculture. The Strategy Manager could scan industries to assess attractiveness, design business plans, detail what it would take for Kramp to win in a new industry, and develop recommendations on if and how to enter.  

As a linking pin between country organizations, functional areas, and group-level departments, the Strategy Manager will get to know the ins and outs of the organization. They will work on Kramp’s most pressing strategic challenges and frequently interact with senior colleagues up to the highest level. These attributes make the role a perfect landing spot for a strategy expert who has the ambition to grow toward line management responsibilities.  

Candidate profile*

• Master’s degree  
• Over 5 years of work experience  
• Background in Strategy Consulting
• Project management 
• Conceptual thinking 
• Stakeholder management 

* Research shows that while male candidates feel confident enough to apply when they meet about 60% of the requirements, female candidates only apply when they tick every box. So if this role has your name on it, but you’re not sure about the criteria, we still want to hear from you.

Interested?

You can apply to this position by using the link below. Kramp is working with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.