Direct Sourcing Manager

Responsibilities

Primary duties:

• Leading, coaching, and developing a team of Category Managers, providing direction, feedback, and support to achieve category and company objectives.
• Managing the company supply chain for assigned categories by sourcing, reviewing, and purchasing commodities and materials.
• Defining and driving category strategies, including make/buy decisions, supplier segmentation, and long-term sourcing roadmaps.
• Updating inventory and category strategies where needed to increase sales, manage stock quantities, and improve working capital.
• Overseeing the evaluation, selection, and recommendation of new vendors, and approving supplier strategies developed by Category Managers.
• Negotiating or overseeing negotiations to secure favorable prices, terms, and conditions that maximize best commodity and category sourcing practices.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with key suppliers and distributors, including executive-level supplier contacts.
• Studying market and industry trends, and guiding the team in identifying and mitigating risks when sourcing and procuring commodities.
• Ensuring that project-approved and departmental budgets are adhered to, and tracking savings and value creation targets.
• Establishing and maintaining procurement and category management processes, tools, and KPIs for the team.
• Supervising department personnel when they prepare contracts and purchase orders, and providing guidance on complex or high-value agreements.
• Resolving escalated vendor disputes and any complex commodity- or category-related issues.
• Collaborating with Operations, Engineering, Finance, and other functions to align sourcing strategies with business needs and product roadmaps.

Knowledge/Experience/

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, economics, business, or a similar field.
• At least six to eight years’ experience in supply chain, strategic sourcing, or commodity/category management, with prior people-leadership responsibility preferred.
• Solid knowledge of financial and commodity markets that influence category and commodity prices.

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong leadership and people-management skills, with the ability to coach, develop, and motivate a team.
• Excellent negotiation skills and the ability to communicate effectively with vendors, suppliers, and internal stakeholders at all levels.
• Advanced analytical and strategic thinking skills, including total cost of ownership and should-cost analysis.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and influence without direct authority across various departments.

Physical Requirements:

• Position involves sitting for long periods, standing, manual dexterity, stooping, bending, and minimal lifting.