Vice President, Purchasing & Strategic SourcingPosition Title
Vice President, Purchasing & Strategic Sourcing
Department
Purchasing
Reports To
Chief Operating Officer
FLSA Status
Exempt
Position Summary
The Vice President, Purchasing & Strategic Sourcing is responsible for the strategic leadership, direction, and performance of the Company's procurement organization. This position develops and executes sourcing strategies, supplier partnerships, purchasing operations, and cost management initiatives that support profitable growth, inventory availability, operational excellence, and long-term business objectives.
As a member of the senior leadership team, the Vice President provides executive oversight of all purchasing, sourcing, supplier management, and procurement activities. The position partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Customer Service, Finance, and Executive Leadership to ensure purchasing strategies support customer requirements, operational needs, working capital objectives, and enterprise value creation.
This position is accountable for driving continuous improvement, strengthening supplier performance, reducing risk, and delivering measurable financial results through strategic procurement leadership.
Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesExecutive Leadership
- Serve as a member of the senior leadership team and participate in strategic planning, budgeting, organizational development, and business growth initiatives.
- Collaborate with executive leadership to identify opportunities for margin expansion, operational improvements, and enterprise value creation.
- Support mergers, acquisitions, integrations, and strategic business initiatives as required.
- Provide regular updates to senior leadership regarding procurement performance, supplier risks, market conditions, and strategic initiatives.
- Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, employee development, and operational excellence.
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute the Company's purchasing and sourcing strategy to support corporate objectives.
- Establish annual and long-range procurement goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and strategic initiatives.
- Lead the purchasing organization in achieving cost, quality, inventory, delivery, and service objectives.
- Build a high-performance purchasing team through leadership, coaching, succession planning, and talent development.
- Establish purchasing policies, procedures, and governance standards across the organization.
Procurement and Sourcing Management
- Direct all purchasing activities for raw materials, components, finished goods, MRO supplies, capital equipment, and outsourced services.
- Develop and implement strategic sourcing initiatives that improve supplier performance, reduce costs, and strengthen supply continuity.
- Lead negotiations for major contracts, long-term supply agreements, and strategic partnerships.
- Evaluate domestic and international sourcing opportunities while balancing cost, quality, lead time, and risk.
- Establish supplier segmentation and category management strategies.
- Develop sourcing roadmaps that support business growth, profitability, and competitive advantage.
Supplier Relationship Management
- Develop and maintain executive-level relationships with key suppliers.
- Lead supplier business reviews, performance reviews, and corrective action initiatives.
- Partner with Quality and Engineering to ensure suppliers meet all technical, regulatory, and quality requirements.
- Oversee supplier qualification, onboarding, auditing, and development programs.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives throughout the supply base.
- Establish supplier scorecards and performance monitoring systems.
Cost Management and Financial Performance
- Develop annual purchasing budgets and cost reduction targets.
- Drive year-over-year savings through strategic sourcing, value engineering, supplier negotiations, and process improvements.
- Monitor commodity markets, economic trends, tariffs, and supply risks affecting material costs.
- Collaborate with Finance to support budgeting, forecasting, standard costing, and working capital initiatives.
- Improve total cost of ownership (TCO) across all purchased products and services.
- Identify opportunities to improve EBITDA through supplier optimization, sourcing strategies, and procurement efficiencies.
- Support enterprise-wide profitability and cash flow improvement initiatives.
Inventory and Operational Collaboration
- Partner with Planning, Operations, Logistics, Engineering, Customer Service, and Finance to ensure material availability and business continuity.
- Support inventory optimization initiatives that balance customer service requirements and working capital objectives.
- Participate in Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) processes.
- Ensure purchasing strategies support demand fluctuations, production requirements, and business growth.
- Monitor inventory performance, supply constraints, and procurement-related risks.
Supply Risk Management
- Develop and maintain supplier risk management strategies.
- Establish alternate sourcing strategies for critical commodities, components, and services.
- Monitor geopolitical, economic, regulatory, and market conditions that may impact supply availability or pricing.
- Lead contingency planning efforts for high-risk suppliers and materials.
- Ensure procurement strategies support business continuity and supply chain resilience.
Operational Excellence
- Implement best practices and continuous improvement initiatives throughout procurement operations.
- Utilize ERP, MRP, APS, and procurement technologies to improve visibility, compliance, and efficiency.
- Develop meaningful purchasing metrics, dashboards, and reporting systems.
- Drive process standardization, automation, and operational efficiency initiatives.
- Support lean manufacturing and operational excellence programs.
- Promote data-driven decision making throughout the purchasing organization.
Compliance and Governance
- Ensure compliance with Company policies, regulatory requirements, and ethical sourcing standards.
- Maintain procurement controls that support financial audits and corporate governance requirements.
- Support ISO, AAR, customer, and regulatory audits as required.
- Promote responsible purchasing practices and supplier accountability.
- Ensure supplier agreements and procurement activities align with legal and contractual requirements.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Provides leadership, direction, coaching, and development for purchasing personnel.
- Establishes departmental objectives, performance standards, and accountability measures.
- Conducts performance evaluations and supports employee development and succession planning initiatives.
- Participates in recruitment, selection, onboarding, promotion, disciplinary action, and termination decisions in accordance with Company policies.
- Fosters a culture of teamwork, professionalism, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Education and ExperienceRequired
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
- Minimum ten (10) years of progressive purchasing, sourcing, procurement, or supply management experience.
- Minimum five (5) years of leadership experience managing purchasing, sourcing, or procurement teams.
- Demonstrated success negotiating complex supplier agreements and strategic sourcing initiatives.
- Experience utilizing ERP/MRP systems and procurement analytics to support business decisions.
Preferred
- Master's degree in Business Administration or related field.
- Professional certifications such as CPSM, CPM, CSCP, CPIM, or equivalent.
- Experience in manufacturing, industrial products, transportation, rail, aftermarket parts, or distribution environments.
- Experience supporting private equity-backed organizations, mergers, acquisitions, or integration initiatives.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong strategic leadership and business acumen.
- Advanced negotiation and contract management skills.
- Comprehensive knowledge of purchasing, strategic sourcing, inventory management, forecasting, and supplier management.
- Strong financial acumen with the ability to analyze costs, margins, inventory investments, and total cost of ownership.
- Exceptional communication, leadership, coaching, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving capabilities.
- Advanced proficiency with ERP, MRP, procurement software, Microsoft Office, and business intelligence tools.
- Effective project management and change management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy and professionalism.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
