Job Description:

We are looking for an experienced Senior Manager - Procurement to lead strategic sourcing, supplier management, procurement operations, and cost optimization initiatives.

The role will be responsible for developing procurement strategies, managing key supplier relationships, negotiating commercial agreements, and ensuring timely availability of goods and services while maintaining quality, compliance, and cost efficiency.

The ideal candidate should have strong experience in strategic procurement, sourcing, vendor management, contract negotiation, and stakeholder management.

The candidate will work closely with business, finance, operations, legal, and supply chain teams to drive procurement excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Procurement:

- Develop and implement procurement strategies aligned with business requirements and organizational objectives.

- Lead strategic sourcing initiatives across direct and indirect procurement categories.

- Identify opportunities for cost savings, process improvement, supplier consolidation, and value optimization.

- Analyze market trends, pricing movements, supplier capabilities, and industry benchmarks to support sourcing decisions.

- Develop category strategies and procurement plans based on business demand and spend analysis.

Sourcing & Vendor Management:

- Manage the complete sourcing lifecycle, including requirement gathering, supplier identification, RFQ/RFP processes, evaluation, negotiation, selection, and onboarding.

- Identify, evaluate, and develop suppliers based on cost, quality, delivery capabilities, capacity, and compliance.

- Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic suppliers and key business partners.

- Conduct regular supplier performance reviews and drive corrective actions wherever required.

- Develop alternate supplier sources to minimize supply and business continuity risks.

Commercial Negotiation:

- Lead commercial negotiations with suppliers to achieve competitive pricing and favorable contractual terms.

- Negotiate pricing, payment terms, service levels, warranties, delivery schedules, and other commercial conditions.

- Review supplier quotations, commercial proposals, contracts, and agreements.

- Partner with legal and finance teams to ensure appropriate contractual and commercial governance.

- Track procurement savings, cost avoidance, and other value-generation initiatives.

Procurement Operations:

- Ensure timely procurement of goods and services in line with business requirements.

- Monitor purchase orders, contracts, delivery schedules, and supplier commitments.

- Resolve supplier-related issues involving pricing, quality, delivery, invoicing, and contractual terms.

- Establish and monitor procurement processes, policies, approval workflows, and controls.

- Ensure procurement activities comply with organizational policies and applicable regulations.

Stakeholder Management:

- Partner closely with business, finance, operations, legal, technology, and other internal stakeholders to understand procurement requirements.

- Act as a strategic procurement advisor to business teams.

- Translate business requirements into effective sourcing and procurement strategies.

- Drive cross-functional initiatives involving cost optimization, supplier rationalization, and process improvements.

- Present procurement performance, savings, supplier risks, and strategic initiatives to senior management.

Procurement Analytics & Governance:

- Analyze procurement spend, supplier performance, pricing trends, and category-level data.

- Develop dashboards and management reports covering savings, spend, supplier performance, and procurement KPIs.

- Establish procurement metrics and continuously monitor performance against targets.

- Identify process gaps and implement initiatives to improve procurement efficiency and transparency.

- Maintain appropriate procurement documentation, contracts, supplier records, and audit trails.

Risk & Compliance:

- Identify and mitigate supplier, commercial, operational, and supply continuity risks.

- Ensure suppliers meet required compliance, quality, and governance standards.

- Support supplier audits, assessments, and periodic reviews.

- Develop contingency plans for critical categories and strategic suppliers.

- Ensure procurement activities follow defined governance and approval processes.

Team Leadership:

- Lead and mentor procurement professionals and support capability development within the team.

- Allocate responsibilities and monitor team performance against procurement objectives.

- Establish clear goals, KPIs, and performance expectations for the procurement function.

- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and commercial excellence.

Key Skills & Competencies:

- Strategic Procurement

- Strategic Sourcing

- Category Management

- Supplier & Vendor Management

- Contract Management

- Commercial Negotiation

- Cost Optimization

- Spend Analysis

- RFQ/RFP Management

- Procurement Operations

- Supplier Performance Management

- Risk Management

- Stakeholder Management

- Procurement Analytics

- Team Leadership

- Process Improvement

- Procurement Governance

Required Qualifications & Experience:

- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, or a related discipline.

- 8 - 10 years of relevant experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, purchasing, or supply chain functions.

- Strong experience in supplier identification, evaluation, negotiation, and relationship management.

- Proven experience managing strategic sourcing and procurement initiatives.

- Strong commercial and negotiation skills with the ability to drive measurable cost efficiencies.

- Experience working with cross-functional stakeholders and senior business leaders.

- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.

- Excellent communication and presentation skills.

- Experience in leading or mentoring procurement teams will be an advantage