We are looking for an experienced Head – Purchasing to establish and lead a centralized Procurement Center of Excellence (CoE) in Pune, with responsibility for global procurement operations, strategic sourcing support, spend management, supplier performance, process standardization, cost optimization and procurement transformation across international manufacturing operations.
The position requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Administration or a related discipline, with 15–20 years of progressive experience in procurement, strategic sourcing or shared services, preferably within manufacturing environments. The candidate should have experience establishing or scaling a procurement CoE, managing a team of 5–10 professionals, driving measurable cost savings, and implementing ERP systems, procurement analytics and process automation.
Key Responsibilities
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Establish, scale and lead a centralized Procurement Center of Excellence in India, managing a team of 5–10 procurement professionals.
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Develop and implement procurement operating standards, SLAs, SOPs and operational KPIs in alignment with global procurement leadership.
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Support global strategic sourcing and category management through cost analysis, total cost of ownership models, market intelligence and supplier evaluation.
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Identify alternative suppliers and drive supplier diversification to reduce sourcing risks and ensure continuity of supply.
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Manage centralized purchasing operations, including purchase requisitions, purchase orders, delivery tracking and vendor master data.
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Coordinate with plant purchasing teams to consolidate volumes, rationalize spending and improve procurement efficiency across manufacturing locations.
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Drive spend management through preferred vendor programs, digital catalogs, commercial negotiations and cost optimization initiatives.
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Monitor supplier performance through scorecards covering on-time delivery, quality, cost competitiveness and responsiveness.
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Support Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and consignment stock management to optimize inventory and working capital.
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Oversee procurement systems, ERP integration, data integrity, workflow automation and process compliance.
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Develop spend analytics, spend categorization frameworks and executive dashboards using Power BI, Tableau and advanced Excel.
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Identify and implement automation opportunities, including RPA and AI-enabled procurement workflows.
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Recruit, develop and lead a high-performing team of sourcing analysts, transactional buyers and procurement data specialists.
Ideal Candidate Profile
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Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business Administration or a related discipline; MBA or professional certifications such as CPSM, CIPS, CSCP or Six Sigma preferred.
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Approximately 15–20 years of relevant experience in procurement, strategic sourcing or shared services, with demonstrated experience establishing or scaling a Procurement CoE.
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Proven experience leading and developing teams of 5–10 or more procurement professionals.
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Strong understanding of manufacturing procurement, including direct materials such as metals, steel wire/rod, specialty alloys, chemicals and polymers, as well as indirect categories such as MRO, packaging and plant services.
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Hands-on experience with enterprise ERP platforms, procurement modules and Source-to-Pay processes, including SAP, Oracle or IFS ERP.
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Strong commercial and financial acumen, with a proven track record in supplier negotiations, cost optimization and measurable savings.
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Experience developing spend analytics, data cleansing processes, business intelligence dashboards and automated reporting systems.
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Strong knowledge of supplier performance management, procurement governance, compliance and risk mitigation.
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Proficiency in advanced Excel, data modelling and Lean/Six Sigma problem-solving methodologies.
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Excellent leadership, stakeholder management and cross-cultural communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with global commodity leaders, plant management and senior executives.
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Ability to balance strategic procurement transformation with day-to-day purchasing requirements in a global manufacturing environment.