Director, Procurement – North America

Lock Search Group; Toronto; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Private Equity Firm is seeking a Director, Procurement to lead North American strategic sourcing, supplier relationships, and cost optimization. The role emphasizes ownership of procurement strategy across multiple sites, team leadership, and collaboration with senior leadership to deliver measurable value.

The position requires extensive experience in private equity procurement, strategic sourcing, and contract negotiations, with a focus on risk management and supply continuity

Qualifications

• Director-level procurement experience within private equity.
• Experience leading strategic sourcing across multi-site organisations.
• Strong negotiation skills and financial acumen.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Experience with RFx processes and contract negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute North American procurement and strategic sourcing strategies.
• Build relationships with internal stakeholders across functions.
• Lead supplier negotiations and contract execution.
• Drive cost optimization and value through strategic procurement initiatives.
• Own procurement budgets and ensure SOX compliance.
• Mentor and develop procurement team.
• Support M&A due diligence and integration.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier relationship management

Leadership

Negotiation

Budget management

SOX compliance

Job description

Director, Procurement - North America - Confidential Private Equity Firm

Our client is a leading North American PE firm undergoing an exciting period of growth and transformation. We are seeking a Director, Procurement to lead the development and execution of a sophisticated procurement strategy across North America.

Reporting to senior leadership, this role will have significant influence across strategic sourcing, category management, supplier relationships, cost optimization, risk management, and supply continuity. The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with hands-on procurement and team leadership and will play a key role in driving measurable value across the organization.

Position Summary

The Director, Procurement is responsible for developing and executing strategic sourcing initiatives, leading procurement operations across assigned categories, and overseeing a high-performing team. This role ensures alignment with corporate objectives and champions operational excellence, cost management, and supply continuity.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute North American procurement and strategic sourcing strategies across critical spend categories in alignment with corporate objectives and business priorities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders, including Supply Chain, S&OP, Quality, Finance, Operations, and New Product Development.
• Personally engage in strategic supplier discussions and serve as the primary escalation point for critical supplier and procurement-related issues.
• Partner with senior leadership to support business objectives while coaching team members through cross-functional decision-making and stakeholder management.
• Lead global and North American sourcing initiatives and category management for critical spend areas.
• Analyze market trends, supply risks, and cost drivers to inform sourcing strategies.
• Oversee competitive bidding processes (RFx), vendor selection, supplier negotiations, and contract negotiation and execution.
• Drive cost optimization and measurable value through strategic sourcing and procurement initiatives.
• Develop, negotiate, and manage contracts with suppliers to ensure performance, compliance, and value delivery.
• Monitor supplier performance through KPIs and drive continuous improvement and corrective actions as needed.
• Implement risk mitigation strategies, including supplier diversification and alternate sourcing, to support supply continuity.
• Own and manage procurement budgets, including planning, allocation, PO approvals, and financial reconciliation.
• Ensure timely and cost-effective execution of procurement initiatives while managing risk and compliance.
• Support business continuity and change management processes in coordination with cross-functional teams.
• Ensure alignment with procurement policies, SOX compliance, and governance frameworks.

Strategic Leadership & Relationship Management

• Develop and execute North American procurement and strategic sourcing strategies across critical spend categories in alignment with corporate objectives and business priorities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders, including Supply Chain, S&OP, Quality, Finance, Operations, and New Product Development.
• Personally engage in strategic supplier discussions and serve as the primary escalation point for critical supplier and procurement-related issues.
• Partner with senior leadership to support business objectives while coaching team members through cross-functional decision-making and stakeholder management.
• Lead global and North American sourcing initiatives and category management for critical spend areas.
• Analyze market trends, supply risks, and cost drivers to inform sourcing strategies.
• Oversee competitive bidding processes (RFx), vendor selection, supplier negotiations, and contract negotiation and execution.
• Drive cost optimization and measurable value through strategic sourcing and procurement initiatives.
• Develop, negotiate, and manage contracts with suppliers to ensure performance, compliance, and value delivery.
• Monitor supplier performance through KPIs and drive continuous improvement and corrective actions as needed.
• Implement risk mitigation strategies, including supplier diversification and alternate sourcing, to support supply continuity.
• Own and manage procurement budgets, including planning, allocation, PO approvals, and financial reconciliation.
• Ensure timely and cost-effective execution of procurement initiatives while managing risk and compliance.
• Support business continuity and change management processes in coordination with cross-functional teams.
• Ensure alignment with procurement policies, SOX compliance, and governance frameworks.

Inventory, Supply Chain & Process Optimization

• Collaborate with Supply Chain to support demand planning and inventory management.
• Lead cost reduction and efficiency initiatives through lean and data-driven approaches.
• Leverage procurement analytics to identify opportunities for improvement and support strategic decision-making.

Team & Governance Leadership

• Build and lead a high-performing and accountable procurement team.
• Set team goals and KPIs, lead regular business reviews, and manage performance effectively.
• Mentor and develop team members, fostering growth and procurement excellence.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, ethical conduct, and cross-functional collaboration.

Other Duties

• Participate in M&A activities, including due diligence and post-acquisition integration.
• Undertake additional strategic initiatives and responsibilities as required.

Requirements

The successful candidate will possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Director-level procurement experience within a Private Equity environment.
• Significant experience managing strategic sourcing and supplier relationships in a complex, multi-site environment.
• Strong negotiation skills, financial acumen, and analytical capability.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing procurement teams.
• The ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive cross-functional decision-making across the organization.

Location: North America

Travel: Moderate

We are equal-opportunity and affirmative action employers that do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, age, colour, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, provincial, or federal laws, rules, or regulations. Our policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment.