Procurement Leader

About the role

Havtech Supply is seeking a highly skilled, analytically driven, and operationally minded Procurement Leader to lead our procurement, inventory management, and vendor performance functions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a procurement strategy that supports Havtech Supply’s product mix, customer demand, and growth objectives.

• Identify, evaluate, and negotiate with suppliers to secure competitive pricing, favorable terms, and reliable product availability.

• Establish preferred vendor programs, long-term agreements, and structured supplier performance expectations.

• Maintain strong market knowledge, including pricing trends, product availability, and competitive dynamics.

• Own supplier segmentation and category plans (strategic vs. transactional), including bid/RFQ discipline as appropriate and ongoing market benchmarking.

• Negotiate and maintain core commercial terms and agreements (pricing structures, rebates, lead times, MOQs, freight terms, returns/warranties, and service expectations) and ensure renewals are tracked and completed on time.

• Implement supplier performance management (scorecards and business reviews) focused on OTIF/fill rate, lead time reliability, quality/returns, and responsiveness; drive corrective actions with suppliers and internal teams.

• Establish supply continuity plans for critical product lines (preferred alternates, dual sourcing where feasible, and escalation paths) to reduce disruption risk and protect customer service levels.

• Build and oversee inventory management processes that ensure accurate stock levels, minimize stock outs, and reduce excess or obsolete inventory.

• Implement and maintain min/max levels, reorder points, replenishment logic, and safety stock strategies across all warehouses.

• Lead cycle count programs, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions to improve inventory accuracy.

• Own inventory segmentation and health (A/B/C, critical spares, slow-moving/obsolete), including disposition plans, transfer strategies across locations, and targeted reduction of dead stock.

• Set inventory control standards (receiving/put-away requirements, cycle count cadence, adjustment governance, and transfer rules) and ensure compliance through training and audits; warehouse teams execute the daily transactions.

• Establish item and vendor master data standards (UOM, pack quantities, lead times, costs, alternates/substitutions) and govern new item setup and end-of-life/obsolescence processes in the ERP.

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of market pricing and cost drivers.

• Work with leadership and sales to ensure pricing strategies support profitability and competitiveness.

• Monitor cost changes and ensure timely updates to internal pricing systems and ERP tools.

• Support margin improvement initiatives through strategic sourcing and cost-reduction opportunities.

• Analyze purchasing, inventory, and vendor data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.

• Provide actionable insights and recommendations to leadership.

• Support the development of reporting tools that enhance visibility and decision-making.

• Leverage data to forecast demand, plan purchasing cycles, and optimize inventory levels.

• Define and maintain procurement and inventory KPIs with a regular cadence (e.g., turns, service level/fill rate, stockouts/backorders, OTIF, lead time accuracy, inventory accuracy, and obsolete inventory).

• Partner with leadership to align procurement priorities with business goals and operational needs.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to warehouse, sales, and finance teams, helping shape supply chain strategy and execution.

• Lead recurring demand/supply alignment for distribution (forecast reviews, seasonality planning, and project/large-order buy strategies) to balance availability, working capital, and warehouse capacity.

• Partner with warehouse/operations to improve inbound flow (supplier ship methods, freight terms, appointment compliance, packaging standards, and receipt/put-away efficiency) by setting supplier requirements and inventory policies; warehouse/operations owns day-to-day receiving and put-away execution.

• Clarify and maintain operating boundaries: this role owns sourcing strategy, supplier management, and inventory planning/policy; warehouse/operations owns physical handling and productivity; finance/AP owns invoice processing and payment.

• Supervise and lead through influence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in procurement, inventory management, warehouse operations, manufacturing, distribution, or related fields.
• Strong understanding of warehouse processes, inventory control methods, and supply chain best practices.
• Proven experience negotiating with vendors and managing supplier relationships, including OEM suppliers.
• Analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, run reports, and make data-driven decisions.
• Experience with ERP systems, purchasing modules, and inventory management tools - SalesPad and Microsoft Dynamics GP experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success influencing cross-functional teams and driving process improvements.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.