COMMODITY MANAGER – PLASTICS & CHEMICALS

IN DEMAND Recruitment & Consulting Inc.; Bridgeport (Montgomery County); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

IN DEMAND Recruitment & Consulting Inc. is assisting a North American manufacturer in recruiting a Commodity Manager – Plastics & Chemicals to oversee strategic sourcing and procurement for its U.S. operations.

The role focuses on sourcing resins, TiO₂, carbon black, chemical additives, and indirect materials, ensuring cost competitiveness, continuity of supply, and supplier performance. You will collaborate with multiple internal teams to strengthen supplier partnerships and drive cost-saving

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required or preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive procurement or purchasing experience in plastics/chemicals/manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of plastic resins, TiO2, carbon black, chemical additives, and related commodity markets.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic sourcing and commodity management initiatives.
• Lead supplier identification, qualification, bids, evaluations, and contract negotiations.
• Monitor total cost of ownership, supplier capabilities, and quality requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure supply continuity and risk mitigation.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and reporting on procurement performance.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Supplier relations

Negotiation

Cost analysis

Analytics

Cross-functional

Procurement strategy

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Logistics, Chemistry, or related

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Power BI

PowerPoint

Microsoft Word

MS Dynamics 365 Business Central

Job description

COMMODITY MANAGER – PLASTICS & CHEMICALS

Strategic Sourcing | Manufacturing | Supply Chain & Procurement
United States | Full-Time | Permanent

THE OPPORTUNITY

IN DEMAND Recruitment & Consulting Inc. is currently assisting our client, an established North American manufacturing organization, in their search for an experienced Commodity Manager – Plastics & Chemicals to oversee strategic sourcing and procurement activities supporting its U.S. operations.

This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially astute procurement professional who understands the complexities of sourcing raw materials within the plastics and chemical industries and enjoys developing supplier relationships, negotiating competitive agreements, and implementing sourcing strategies that deliver measurable business value.

The successful candidate will play an important role in managing the procurement of resins, titanium dioxide (TiO₂), carbon black, chemical additives, and indirect materials, while ensuring cost competitiveness, continuity of supply, supplier performance, and alignment with broader operational objectives.

Working collaboratively with Procurement, Supply Chain, Regulatory, Quality, Sales, Technical Services, and Operations, you will help strengthen supplier partnerships, identify cost-saving opportunities, and support procurement excellence across the organization.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

As the Commodity Manager, you will take ownership of assigned purchasing requirements and contribute to the development and execution of effective commodity sourcing strategies.

You will:

• Manage procurement activities for raw materials, chemicals, additives, and indirect/non-production materials supporting manufacturing facilities across the United States.
• Develop and implement strategic sourcing and commodity management initiatives focused on cost optimization, supply continuity, supplier performance, and risk mitigation.
• Source and negotiate purchases involving plastic resins, TiO₂, carbon black, chemical additives, and related manufacturing materials.
• Conduct market research and commodity analysis to identify pricing trends, supply constraints, cost drivers, emerging technologies, and potential sourcing opportunities.
• Lead supplier identification, qualification, competitive quotation processes, bid evaluations, and contract negotiations.
• Evaluate purchasing decisions using total cost of ownership, supplier capabilities, material specifications, quality requirements, and long-term business needs.
• Build and maintain productive supplier relationships through regular communication, site visits, audits, performance reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Maintain accurate purchasing records, supplier information, pricing histories, contracts, material specifications, and vendor performance data.
• Identify and implement cost-reduction opportunities through supplier negotiations, purchasing leverage, process improvements, and strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Support material budgeting, procurement cost forecasting, and purchasing performance reporting.
• Collaborate with Quality, Regulatory, Technical Services, and Operations to ensure purchased materials meet applicable specifications and manufacturing requirements.
• Work proactively with internal stakeholders and suppliers to resolve supply disruptions, quality concerns, delivery issues, and supplier performance challenges.
• Participate in supplier corrective action processes and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Monitor key procurement performance indicators and recommend improvements to purchasing efficiency, cost management, and supplier reliability.
• Support broader supply chain initiatives aimed at improving operational efficiency and strengthening the organization’s competitive position.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking a procurement professional who combines strong plastics and chemical commodity knowledge with strategic sourcing expertise, commercial judgment, and the ability to build effective supplier partnerships.

The successful candidate will bring:

• A bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Logistics, Chemistry, or a related discipline, preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of progressive procurement or purchasing experience, ideally within plastics, chemicals, or a related manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of plastic resins, titanium dioxide (TiO₂), carbon black, chemical additives, and associated commodity markets.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic sourcing, supplier selection, contract negotiations, and supplier relationship management.
• An understanding of global supply chains, commodity pricing dynamics, supply market trends, and factors influencing material availability and cost.
• Experience developing sourcing strategies that improve purchasing leverage, reduce costs, and protect continuity of supply.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to evaluate supplier quotations, purchasing trends, cost structures, and total cost of ownership.
• Familiarity with supplier performance management, quality expectations, corrective actions, and procurement risk mitigation.
• Working knowledge of purchasing contracts, commercial terms, and relevant procurement practices.
• The ability to interpret technical specifications, engineering documents, and material requirements.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Power BI.
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Power BI is strongly preferred.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to manage multiple sourcing projects and priorities independently in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• A collaborative, solutions-oriented approach and the ability to work effectively with technical, operational, and commercial teams.
• Willingness and ability to travel as required.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is a strategic, hands-on procurement professional who understands both the commercial and technical considerations involved in sourcing plastics and chemical commodities.

You are comfortable navigating fluctuating raw material markets, evaluating supplier capabilities, negotiating competitive agreements, and balancing cost objectives with quality, service, and supply reliability.

You understand that successful procurement extends beyond securing the lowest purchase price. It requires developing strong supplier partnerships, anticipating market changes, managing supply risks, and making informed sourcing decisions that support long-term manufacturing performance.

You bring a proactive, analytical mindset and enjoy working cross-functionally to solve problems, identify opportunities, and deliver measurable results.

Above all, you take ownership of your commodities, build credibility with suppliers and internal stakeholders, and approach procurement as a strategic contributor to business success.

WHY CONSIDER THIS OPPORTUNITY?

This is an opportunity to join an established manufacturing organization where strategic procurement plays a direct role in operational performance, cost competitiveness, and supply chain resilience.

You will have the opportunity to influence commodity sourcing strategies, develop meaningful supplier relationships, and contribute to purchasing initiatives supporting manufacturing operations across the United States.

For a procurement professional with a strong background in plastics and chemicals, this role offers an attractive combination of commercial responsibility, cross-functional collaboration, strategic influence, and long-term career development.

Disclosure of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use

IN DEMAND Recruitment & Consulting Inc. may use artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tools to support certain aspects of our recruitment process, including the screening and assessment of applications. These tools are used to assist with organizing, reviewing, and evaluating candidate information and do not replace human judgment or decision-making.