Procurement Director

Position Overview

The Procurement Director plays a pivotal role in leading the procurement function and serves as an integral member of the Site Leader’s management team. This is a hands-on leadership role, not a desk-only management position. The successful candidate will be actively involved in day-to-day purchasing activities, supplier management, issue resolution, and continuous improvement across the manufacturing site.

This position carries full responsibility for establishing, leading, and developing the site purchasing team, with a strong focus on engineering cost optimization. In addition, the Procurement Director is responsible for ensuring a dependable supply chain, maintaining strict cost controls, and driving operational excellence.

All of these efforts are aimed at improving overall plant performance and creating a seamless, efficient purchasing operation aligned with the company’s strategic goals. The right person will be willing to get involved on the shop floor, work closely with operations, and help solve problems directly.

The role manages a team of 4 to 8 buyers and purchasing professionals and oversees a growing annual purchasing spend of approximately $20M. The Purchasing Director is a key contributor to production continuity, cost competitiveness, and supplier performance.

Key Responsibilities

People Leadership & Team Development (Core Responsibility)

• Recruit, hire, onboard, and develop purchasing team members to meet current and future site needs.
• Set clear objectives, KPIs, and performance expectations aligned with site goals and USA purchasing strategy.
• Lead regular performance reviews, coaching sessions, and individual development plans.
• Build and maintain succession plans to ensure continuity and capability within the purchasing organization.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Act as a visible leader on the shop floor and a trusted business partner to the Site Leadership Team.

Purchasing Operations & Strategic Sourcing

• Lead all day‑to‑day purchasing activities supporting manufacturing and on‑time delivery.
• Develop and execute strategic sourcing plans aligned with site requirements and USA purchasing objectives.
• Identify, qualify, audit, and develop suppliers to ensure competitiveness, quality, and capacity.
• Negotiate and implement long‑term supply agreements (LTAs) and framework contracts.

Purchased Categories

• Raw materials (steel, aluminum, and other metals)
• Laser cutting, fabrication, welding, and metal forming services
• Machining and industrial subcontracting
• Commercial off‑the‑shelf components and standard parts
• Recurring production and project‑based procurement

Cost, Negotiation & Supplier Performance

• Lead supplier negotiations for recurring production and new programs.
• Drive cost reduction, productivity, and value‑engineering initiatives.
• Monitor supplier KPIs (cost, quality, delivery, responsiveness, capacity).
• Proactively manage supply risks and implement mitigation and dual‑sourcing strategies.

Cross‑Functional & US Purchasing Collaboration

• Work closely with Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Planning, and Finance at the site level.
• Partner with the USA Purchasing Director to deploy purchasing policies, tools, and best practices.
• Contribute to US‑level sourcing initiatives and continuous improvement programs.

Required Qualifications

Experience & Education

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in engineering, industrial engineering, or equivalent engineering knowledge acquired through on-the-job experience.
• 10+ years of experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• 5+ years of proven experience managing and developing purchasing teams.
• Strong experience with direct materials, metals procurement, and industrial subcontracting.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong people manager with experience in hiring, performance management, and succession planning.
• Hands‑on, operational leadership style with strong plant presence.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Solid understanding of metal‑mechanical manufacturing processes.
• Data‑driven, structured, and results‑oriented.
• Comfortable operating in a matrix organization.

Additional Requirements

• Fluent in English.
• Ability to travel occasionally within the United States.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive base salary based on experience
• Performance‑based bonus
• Comprehensive benefits package

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) 3% Match
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person