Job Title: Head - Procurement & Strategic Sourcing

Industry: Automotive Aftermarket / Auto Accessories

Location: Gurugram

Function: Procurement, Sourcing & Supply Chain

Reporting To: Co-Founder

Role Overview:

We are looking for a commercially strong and strategic Head of Procurement & Strategic Sourcing to lead the end-to-end procurement and sourcing function for a rapidly scaling automotive aftermarket business.

The role will be responsible for developing and managing the supplier ecosystem across India and international markets, particularly China, driving cost optimisation, new product sourcing, supplier development, quality, commercial negotiations and supply continuity.

The ideal candidate should have strong experience in automotive accessories, consumer products/electronics, OEM/ODM sourcing, import procurement and vendor development, with the ability to work closely with Product, Technology, Quality, Finance, Warehouse and Business teams.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Sourcing:

- Develop and execute sourcing strategies across domestic and international markets.

- Identify, evaluate and onboard new suppliers and manufacturing partners.

- Build a robust supplier ecosystem across automotive accessories, electronics, consumables and related categories.

- Explore OEM/ODM, SKD/CKD and local assembly opportunities to improve cost competitiveness and localisation.

- Continuously benchmark suppliers, products and market pricing.

2. Commercial & Cost Management:

- Lead negotiations on price, MOQ, payment terms, tooling, packaging, logistics and commercial conditions.

- Drive year-on-year cost reduction without compromising quality or supply reliability.

- Develop should-cost and landed-cost models for sourced products.

- Negotiate long-term commercial agreements and strategic supplier contracts.

- Monitor commodity, freight, FX and market movements impacting procurement costs.

3. Supplier Management:

- Develop strategic relationships with key suppliers and manufacturing partners.

- Establish supplier performance metrics covering cost, quality, delivery and responsiveness.

- Conduct supplier evaluations and periodic performance reviews.

- Develop alternate suppliers for critical categories to reduce supply-chain dependency.

- Resolve commercial and operational escalations with suppliers.

4. New Product & Category Development:

- Work closely with Product and Business teams to source and develop new products.

- Identify emerging automotive accessories and technologies from global markets.

- Evaluate samples, specifications, BOMs, packaging and commercial feasibility.

- Support product localisation and India-specific product development.

- Coordinate with suppliers from product development through mass production.

5. Import & International Procurement:

- Manage sourcing relationships with international suppliers, particularly China.

- Evaluate landed cost including product cost, freight, duties, taxes and other import-related costs.

- Coordinate with logistics, finance and internal teams for smooth import execution.

- Identify opportunities to optimise international sourcing and logistics costs.

6. Packaging & Private Label:

- Develop suppliers for printed packaging, pouches, boxes and other private-label packaging requirements.

- Negotiate packaging MOQ, pricing, printing/tooling and lead times.

- Ensure packaging development is aligned with product launches and brand requirements.

7. Procurement Governance:

- Build and improve procurement processes, policies and approval mechanisms.

- Establish structured documentation for supplier evaluation, quotations, negotiations and approvals.

- Ensure procurement decisions are transparent, commercially justified and auditable.

- Develop procurement dashboards and MIS covering spend, savings, supplier performance and open POs.

8. Cross-functional Leadership:

- Work closely with Product, Technology, Technical, Warehouse, Finance, Sales and Operations teams.

- Align procurement plans with business demand and product launches.

- Ensure timely availability of products while maintaining optimum inventory levels.

- Drive resolution of supply, quality, pricing and delivery issues across functions.

Key Performance Indicators:

- Procurement savings / cost reduction

- Gross margin improvement

- Supplier OTIF performance

- Supplier quality performance

- New supplier development

- New product sourcing timelines

- MOQ and working-capital optimisation

- Alternate supplier development

- Import/landed-cost optimisation

- Procurement process compliance

- Supplier concentration reduction

Ideal Candidate Profile:

- 8 - 11+ years of experience in Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain or Vendor Development.

- Strong exposure to automotive aftermarket, automotive accessories, electronics or consumer products.

- Experience dealing directly with Indian and Chinese manufacturers/suppliers.

- Strong commercial negotiation and supplier-management skills.

- Experience with OEM/ODM, private label, SKD/CKD or contract manufacturing is highly desirable.

- Strong understanding of landed-cost economics, MOQ, payment terms, logistics and import procurement.

- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

- Strong analytical and commercial orientation.

- Ability to independently identify opportunities, negotiate with suppliers and drive projects to closure.

What Makes This Role Different:

This is not a transactional PO/procurement role. The position is expected to own the commercial and strategic sourcing agenda of the business - from identifying a supplier and negotiating the first quotation to product development, packaging, localisation, manufacturing, cost optimisation and long-term supplier strategy.