Strategic Sourcing Manager

Strategic Sourcing Manager

Buckman – Memphis, TN

Location:

Memphis, TN

Language:
English

Travel: up to 10%

Buckman is a privately held, global specialty chemical company with headquarters in Memphis, TN, USA, committed to safeguarding the environment, maintaining safety in the workplace, and promoting sustainable development. Buckman delivers exceptional service and innovative solutions to our customers globally in the pulp and paper, leather, and water treatment sectors to help boost productivity, reduce risk, improve product quality, and provide a measurable return on investment.

Responsible for developing and executing procurement strategies for Direct Materials (Raw Materials and PFR), ensuring alignment with business goals, cost targets, and quality standards. This role manages supplier relationships, negotiates commercial terms—including total cost, pricing, payment conditions, and savings opportunities—and continuously evaluates sourcing processes for improvement. The Strategic Sourcing Manager also supports cross‑functional collaboration with R&D, sales, and operations teams in the introduction of new products and innovations, while monitoring market conditions to anticipate risks and maintain supply continuity.

This position is accountable for managing an annual spend of approximately USD 40M.

Outcome:
Cost Savings and terms improvement through efficient portfolio management for direct materials (Raw Materials and PFR)

• Develop and implement sourcing strategies for Raw Materials and PFR categories, ensuring alignment with business objectives and maximizing supplier performance
• Conduct RFPs, should‑cost analyses, and market benchmarking to secure competitive pricing and payment terms, identify cost drivers, and uncover savings opportunities
• Manage supplier performance, monitor contract validity, and lead strategic renegotiations to ensure favorable and sustainable commercial terms
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, implementing SRM strategies to support long‑term collaboration and performance improvement
• Ensure accuracy and timely updates of commercial conditions and pricing in SAP, maintaining compliance with current agreements and procurement policies
• Report portfolio performance, project progress, and cost‑saving achievements to support data‑driven decision‑making on agreed cadence

Outcome:
Procurement‑led innovation and strategic advancement

• Lead cross‑functional Strategic Sourcing projects, incorporating Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and global collaboration
• Monitor market trends, supplier innovation, and emerging technologies to introduce forward‑looking procurement solutions
• Conduct detailed market scoping and supplier assessments to uncover new sourcing opportunities
• Analyze market dynamics and competitive intelligence to inform procurement strategies and support business innovation

Outcome:
Anticipate and mitigate key business risks; retain business and global procurement alignment

• Continuously evaluate market conditions, supply chain dynamics, inflation, and demand shifts to assess their impact on cost structures, sourcing strategies, and material availability
• Identify and assess financial, operational, strategic, compliance, regulatory, and environmental risks across the supplier base and broader supply chain
• Monitor vulnerabilities such as geopolitical instability, cost volatility, and supply disruptions, evaluating both likelihood and potential impact
• Develop and implement changes in approach or risk mitigation strategies based on evolving market conditions—including contingency planning, alternative sourcing, and supplier diversification—to ensure business continuity and safeguard operations
• Integrate risk assessments into supplier evaluations and sourcing decisions to proactively manage exposure
• Communicate actionable insights, risks and mitigation plans to internal stakeholders to ensure alignment, awareness, and preparedness across the organization

Outcome:
Strategic supplier management for operational excellence

• Build and maintain strong relationships with local and international suppliers to ensure reliable delivery, resolve…