Global Purchasing Director

Job Description

Join us at Technical Rubber Company (TRC), a global family-owned business with an 85-year legacy of product success and innovation. We are on an ambitious path to double our revenues over the next three years and need a visionary leader to guide our global purchasing function.

In this vital role, you will manage purchasing operations across seven international sites and support four distinct business lines. Your goal will be to transform our purchasing strategy by leveraging our global scale, maximizing synergies, and optimizing worldwide sourcing.

If you're looking for a challenge that will inspire, excite, and test your limits, we would like to hear from you. Become a key part of our enduring legacy and apply now!

Summary: Responsible for developing and executing global sourcing and procurement strategies across the company’s Global operations. The scope of this role includes all outsourced manufactured and resale products, raw materials for manufacturing, all packaging and other ‘outsourced’ key services required by the business. The position will develop policies, procedures and objectives for the standardization and control of all global sourcing activities at all TRC locations. The Global purchasing strategy will be executed through purchasing staff in all group locations with a key focus on supplier evaluation, qualification and audit, optimized service delivery, high quality and ‘best’ price leveraging global demand where relevant. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Directs, performs, manages, and oversees the procurement of raw materials, outsourced manufactured goods, resale products and all other goods and services used within the business. Develops all related standard policies and procedures to source the highest value products and services on behalf of the company.

Manages supplier/contractor base for commercial goods and services and pre-qualifies and evaluates new supplier sources for potential approval.

Establishes and monitors vendor evaluation and rating systems and makes/recommends changes when vendors fall below company standards. Always aware of potential new arrangements that could optimize the benefit to the company such as vendor managed off site inventories, consignment inventories, etc.

Drive working capital improvements where possible through quantity optimization, shipping frequencies, payment terms, etc.

Mitigate risk to the company by ensuring that all critical goods have a qualified back up supplier, ensure diversity in suppliers by geographic terms, industry ties, key customers, etc.

Creates value within the organization to ensure the required level of quality is maintained to properly protect the integrity of the company’s brands and reputation around the world.

Ensures that policies are in place so that all imported goods carry sufficient and proper country of origin information as well as safety and warning markings. Oversees audits of these key elements on a periodic basis.

Works with leadership teams around the world to identify, scope, validate and execute special projects that will result in measurable value to the company.

Oversees and initiates strategic sourcing processes, including Request for Proposals and Request for Quotes (RFP/RFQ) on a global basis.

Leads in the development and execution of negotiation strategies with suppliers including the acquisition of specific targets for pricing, service, and quality. Collaborates and partners with suppliers to drive innovation and gain all possible competitive advantages.

Selects and manages financial and operational measurement tools for assessing performance and results of the procurement function against goals and supplier proposals and forecasts.

Reports to senior management on the status of cost and quality initiatives as well as other purchasing processes, supply chain needs and changes, cost of goods sold targets and performance related to inventory as well as changes to market conditions, suppliers and global corporate needs.

Holds suppliers, vendors and global sourcing departments responsible for high quality, lowest cost, on time delivery, and other key metrics.

Defines global standards for purchase order issuance process and management. Audits to ensure compliance with policies and contracted or correct pricing. Also ensures that purchase order terms and conditions include favorable purchase order contractual language and terms and conditions are optimized for the company.

Keeps abreast of new, revised or revoked local, state/provincial, federal, and international regulations for the importing of goods around the world.

Oversees the evaluation process for resolving purchasing issues, new resale products, inventory issues, low volume products/obsolescence, and supply issues within Tech Group Companies.

Partners with SBU general managers and/or sales teams regarding new product opportunities, field testing of such products, quality of products, and analyzes projected forecast against actual sales.  Evaluates the success or failure of new product launches on a periodic basis and makes recommendations for continuance, modification, or termination.

Identifies key raw material commodities and designs and implements strategies to minimize volatility of these items on the business.  Recommends hedging strategies for raw material commodities where warranted.

As part of securing the best overall value to the company, negotiates vendor freight terms and payment terms and works with distribution as needed to ensure effective and efficient consolidation of inbound deliveries of procured products.

Optimize group buying strength across all group companies where it makes sense and utilize buying groups and co-ops where it will benefit the company.

Prepares and reviews contracts, bids, proposals, and vendor agreements for legal correctness, price, and acceptability of items to specifications.  Ensures that there are written agreements in place for those vendors where this is appropriate.

Attends trade shows domestically and internationally to stay abreast of changes to the industry and products available that could be of value to the company.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Leads global team – directly and indirectly

Requirements

• 5-7 years in strategic purchasing roles preferred; Industrial products or Automotive products


• Ability to listen to customers, the sales team & product management and compare those needs to Supplier capabilities while validating the global opportunity.


• Entrepreneurial approach to problem solving, balancing sales optimism and the reality of Vendor capabilities and inventory turnover


• Ability to lead cross-functionally and cross-culturally


• Experience creating a Strategic Supply Chain plan, aligning global entities, building an integrated communications plan that pulses the progress and alignment of all business locations.


• Ability to attract, develop, and promote talented people


• Exhibits the ability to manage multiple, complex priorities within demanding timeframes


• Comfortable acting as a player-coach and executing some of the work individually


• Must have passport and be capable of Global travel (15% - 20%)


• Position is located in Johnstown OH. Limited remote work will be considered.

Education

• Undergraduate Degree in Business or Engineering (Purchasing) or Science (Material Science, Engineering)


• MBA preferred

EEO/Minorities/Females/Disabled/Veterans