Position Summary
The Director of Procurement is a senior executive responsible for leading the company's global sourcing and procurement strategy across direct and indirect materials, components, and services critical to commercial vehicle manufacturing operations. This individual will oversee a high-performing procurement organization, drive cost competitiveness, ensure supply continuity, and cultivate strategic supplier relationships across international markets including North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. The Director will partner closely with Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Quality to align procurement activities with the company's product roadmap and business objectives.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Procurement Leadership
- Develop and execute a comprehensive global procurement strategy aligned with the company's operational and commercial vehicle manufacturing goals.
- Lead make-vs-buy decisions and drive total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis across categories including powertrain components, chassis systems, electronics, raw materials, and aftermarket parts.
- Establish and enforce procurement policies, standards, and compliance frameworks across all international purchasing activities.
- Partner with executive leadership to integrate procurement priorities into annual operating plans and long-range strategic planning.
International Sourcing & Supplier Management
- Build and manage a diversified, resilient global supplier base spanning North America, Europe, Mexico, India, and Asia-Pacific regions.
- Lead supplier qualification, onboarding, performance evaluation, and development programs to ensure quality, delivery, and cost targets are consistently met.
- Negotiate complex, high-value contracts and long-term agreements with Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, including volume commitments, pricing mechanisms, and risk-sharing provisions.
- Monitor geopolitical, regulatory, and macroeconomic developments affecting international supply chains and proactively implement mitigation strategies.
- Manage supplier risk through dual-sourcing strategies, safety stock policies, and continuous supply chain mapping.
Cost Management & Value Creation
- Deliver year-over-year cost reductions through strategic negotiations, design-to-cost initiatives, and process improvements in collaboration with Engineering.
- Implement spend analytics and category management frameworks to identify and capture savings across a multi-hundred-million-dollar annual spend portfolio.
- Drive value engineering and early supplier involvement (ESI) initiatives to reduce material costs on new vehicle programs.
- Oversee procurement budgeting, forecasting, and variance reporting in alignment with Finance.
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of procurement managers, category managers, and buyer analysts across domestic and international locations.
- Foster a high-performance culture centered on accountability, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Define team structure, resource allocation, and succession planning to support organizational growth.
- Champion diversity and inclusion within the procurement function and among the supplier base.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Serve as the primary procurement liaison to Engineering, Program Management, Manufacturing, Quality, and Legal functions.
- Collaborate with New Product Development (NPD) teams to ensure timely sourcing of components for vehicle launches, meeting cost, quality, and timing milestones.
- Partner with the Quality team to resolve supplier quality issues and drive corrective action programs.
- Support import/export compliance, customs, and trade regulation adherence for international transactions.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field; MBA or Master's degree strongly preferred.
- Minimum 12 years of progressive procurement experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role within an automotive, commercial vehicle, heavy equipment, or related manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated experience managing international procurement operations across multiple geographies, including Europe, Asia (particularly China, India, or South Korea), and Mexico.
- Proven track record of leading large-scale contract negotiations and delivering measurable cost savings.
- Deep expertise in category management, strategic sourcing, supplier development, and supply chain risk management.
- Proficiency in procurement systems and ERP platforms (SAP, Oracle, or equivalent); experience with spend analytics and eSourcing tools.
- Strong knowledge of Incoterms, international trade regulations, customs requirements, and supplier compliance standards.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
