Director of Procurement

Overview

A growing manufacturing organization is seeking a strategic procurement leader to oversee sourcing, supplier management, and procurement operations across multiple North American locations. This role is responsible for managing a significant annual spend, driving cost optimization, mitigating supply risk, and leading a high-performing procurement team that supports business growth and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Sourcing & Supply Planning
  • Develop long-range procurement strategies aligned with demand forecasts, production plans, and business objectives.
  • Ensure supplier capacity and material availability meet operational requirements.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams through S&OP and planning processes to identify and mitigate supply risks.
  • Lead strategic sourcing initiatives, supplier negotiations, and contract management activities.
• Category Management
  • Build and execute category strategies for key direct and indirect spend areas.
  • Drive competitive bidding, supplier selection, and cost reduction initiatives.
  • Manage supplier onboarding, contract renewals, and procurement governance processes.
• Supplier & Risk Management
  • Establish supplier risk assessment and monitoring programs.
  • Develop mitigation strategies for supply continuity, including alternate sourcing options.
  • Conduct supplier performance reviews focused on quality, delivery, cost, innovation, and service.
  • Maintain supplier scorecards and continuous improvement programs.
• Procurement Operations & Continuous Improvement
  • Lead and develop a strategic procurement team while fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.
  • Partner with operations, planning, and manufacturing teams to improve inventory management and reduce supply disruptions.
  • Develop procurement KPIs, reporting, and analytics to support data-driven decision making.
  • Drive procurement transformation initiatives focused on process improvement, automation, and scalability.
  • Identify and execute cost savings and operational efficiency opportunities across the supply chain.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of procurement and sourcing experience, including leadership roles within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven track record leading procurement transformation, strategic sourcing, and supplier management initiatives.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience leveraging procurement metrics, spend analytics, and performance reporting.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Procurement, or a related field.
• Professional certifications (e.g., CPSM, APICS/CPIM) or advanced degree preferred.
• ERP system experience and strong data analysis capabilities preferred.
• Ability to travel approximately 20-30%.