Job Description:

The Procurement & Materials Leader is responsible for leading procurement activities, supplier performance, inventory strategy, and materials management processes to ensure the uninterrupted flow of externally sourced materials and components required to meet customer commitments and manufacturing schedules.

This role provides leadership to the buyer team and is accountable for developing and sustaining procurement processes, supplier relationships, inventory strategies, and continuous improvement initiatives that support operational and business objectives.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring a strong player/coach mentality. The successful candidate will balance strategic leadership and team development with active participation in purchasing, supplier management, shortage resolution, and supplier recovery efforts as business conditions require. This leader is expected to build team capability while remaining engaged in day-to-day operations to support customer commitments and business objectives.

Experience in a discrete manufacturing environment, preferably within an engineered-to-order business, is strongly preferred.

The Procurement & Materials Leader champions Lean principles, visual management, root cause problem-solving, and continuous improvement while partnering cross-functionally with operations, engineering, planning, stores, finance, and sourcing to improve supplier performance, material availability, inventory effectiveness, and cost competitiveness.

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of buyers while remaining actively engaged in procurement and supplier management activities as needed.
• Serve as a player/coach by supporting critical purchasing activities, supplier escalations, shortage recovery efforts, and expedited material requirements.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and operational excellence.
• Support team development through mentorship, knowledge sharing, cross-training, and hands-on coaching.
• Build organizational capability by reducing single points of failure within supplier, commodity, and purchasing responsibilities.
• Establish and maintain team operations through regular performance reviews, buyer development discussions, supplier reviews, and operational performance discussions.
• Lead by example through active participation in problem-solving and execution during periods of operational risk or increased workload.

• Develop and implement procurement strategies aligned with business objectives, customer commitments, and operational requirements.
• Establish and standardize procurement processes, supplier selection methods, negotiation practices, and supplier management frameworks.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic suppliers while establishing clear performance expectations and accountability.
• Negotiate supplier agreements and commercial terms that optimize cost, quality, delivery performance, and supply continuity.
• Monitor market conditions, commodity trends, supplier capacity constraints, and supply risks to proactively manage disruptions and cost fluctuations.
• Manage buyout, custom-fabricated, and strategic supplier deliverables through key supplier milestones and commitments.
• Conduct regular supplier business reviews and lead supplier corrective action activities when performance falls below expectations.
• Maintain accurate supplier master data, purchasing records, and procurement system integrity.
• Support corporate sourcing initiatives by providing supplier performance data, market intelligence, and operational feedback.

• Own the processes, reporting, and governance necessary to ensure timely availability of externally sourced materials and components required to support manufacturing schedules and customer commitments.
• Lead shortage management activities and coordinate supplier recovery efforts for critical material constraints.
• Develop and maintain processes that identify long-lead and supply-constrained materials early in the order lifecycle to reduce schedule risk and improve material readiness.
• Maintain visibility to supplier commitments, overdue purchase orders, and potential supply disruptions, ensuring appropriate prioritization and escalation of risks.
• Drive resolution of critical supply issues through supplier engagement, escalation, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Maintain visibility to supply chain risks including single-source suppliers, constrained commodities, capacity limitations, and long-lead materials.
• Partner with engineering, operations, and planning to establish effective processes for evaluating and managing supply chain impacts associated with engineering changes, including supplier commitments, inventory exposure, and implementation timing.
• Support inventory planning strategies through appropriate safety stock, lead-time management, and risk mitigation practices.

• Own site inventory health metrics including inventory turns, days of supply, aged inventory, excess inventory, and obsolescence exposure.
• Ensure planning parameters such as lead times, safety stock levels, order quantities, reorder points, and sourcing strategies remain accurate and aligned with business needs.
• Partner with planning, operations, and stores to maintain appropriate inventory levels while balancing service, risk, and working capital objectives.
• Support inventory accuracy initiatives through collaboration with stores and operations teams.
• Identify opportunities to reduce excess inventory while maintaining appropriate levels of material availability.

• Lead the department's visual management process utilizing key performance indicators, Pareto analysis, root cause identification, and A3 problem-solving methodologies.
• Establish and track performance metrics related to supplier delivery, supplier quality, inventory performance, shortages, premium freight, and purchasing effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain supplier scorecards measuring on-time delivery, quality performance, responsiveness, quantity accuracy, and overall supplier effectiveness.
• Lead supplier corrective action initiatives and verify corrective actions are effectively implemented and sustained.
• Maintain visibility to recurring supply chain issues and facilitate corrective actions focused on eliminating root causes rather than managing symptoms.
• Drive Lean initiatives and continuous improvement efforts throughout procurement, supplier management, and inventory processes.
• Identify opportunities to standardize processes, improve efficiency, reduce risk, and lower total cost.

• Provide leadership and direction across multiple purchasing commodities, supplier categories, and product lines.
• Support the development and execution of long-term sourcing and supplier strategies.
• Partner with business leaders to identify opportunities for cost reduction, operational improvement, supply chain resiliency, and supplier optimization.
• Evaluate emerging supply chain risks and opportunities and recommend actions that support business objectives.
• Champion data-driven decision-making through effective reporting, analysis, and problem-solving practices.
• Contribute to strategic planning while maintaining strong operational execution and accountability.

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field preferred.

• 7+ years of progressive experience in procurement, purchasing, materials management, or supply chain roles within a manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of leadership experience leading procurement, purchasing, or supply chain teams.
• Experience in discrete manufacturing required.
• Experience in engineered-to-order manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading purchasing or procurement teams in a hands-on leadership capacity.
• Strong supplier negotiation, relationship management, and commercial business experience.
• Experience driving Lean, visual management, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams and balance strategic thinking with operational execution.

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