Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Lead

About the role

Aggressive Hydraulics is a custom hydraulic cylinder manufacturer. We are the leading provider of hydraulic solutions, serving a diverse range of industries. With a commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction, we pride ourselves on delivering innovative products and exceptional service. This position is intended for a procurement professional who not only manages purchasing activities, but also proactively identifies opportunities to improve supplier performance, reduce costs, optimize inventory, and strengthen Aggressive Hydraulics' overall supply chain strategy. You'll have the opportunity to directly influence business decisions and build the function as we grow.

Position Description The Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Lead is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies that ensure uninterrupted material availability while driving cost reduction, supplier performance, inventory optimization, and continuous improvement across the supply chain. This role combines hands-on procurement execution with strategic business analysis. The ideal candidate is an analytical, data-driven problem solver who can identify opportunities, challenge existing processes, leverage supplier partnerships, and implement sourcing strategies that create measurable value for the organization. The Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Lead serves as a key business partner to Operations, Engineering, Production, Finance, and Quality to support operational performance, long-term growth, and profitability.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing strategies for raw materials, components, and outside services.
• Lead supplier negotiations involving pricing, payment terms, lead times, and service agreements.
• Identify and implement cost reduction initiatives through strategic sourcing, supplier consolidation, value engineering, and process improvements.
• Evaluate make-versus-buy opportunities in partnership with Engineering and Production.
• Analyze spend data and purchasing trends to identify opportunities for savings and efficiency improvements.
• Monitor market conditions, supply chain risks, and industry trends to proactively identify opportunities and challenges.
• Establish alternative sourcing strategies to reduce supply chain risk and dependency.
• Build and maintain strategic supplier relationships that create long-term value and support company growth.
• Manage purchasing activities, supplier performance, and material availability to meet production requirements.
• Establish performance metrics and supplier scorecards while supporting the qualification of new sourcing partners.
• Utilize ERP systems, Excel, and data analysis tools to evaluate spending, inventory, supplier performance, and procurement trends.
• Develop actionable recommendations that optimize inventory, strengthen supply chain performance, and improve decision-making.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance procurement processes, reporting capabilities, and overall operational effectiveness.
• Partner with Production, Engineering, Quality, and Finance to align sourcing strategies with business needs.
• Support new product introductions, engineering changes, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Serve as a key contributor in developing scalable procurement and supply chain strategies that support future growth.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of procurement, sourcing, purchasing, or supply chain experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success negotiating supplier agreements and implementing cost reduction initiatives.
• Experience utilizing ERP systems, procurement analytics, and supply chain reporting tools.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills including pivot tables, lookups, data analysis, and reporting.
• Experience managing supplier relationships, performance metrics, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Strong understanding of inventory management, demand planning, and supply chain best practices.
• Experience supporting technical manufacturing environments, engineered products, or custom manufacturing operations preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, Operations, or a related field preferred.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and business acumen including intellectual curiosity and a willingness to challenge the status quo in pursuit of better business outcomes