Direct Material Leader, Global Sourcing

Velcro Companies; United States; Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and Prescription Coverage

Vision Coverage

401(k) with company match

Paid Vacation Time

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Velcro USA Inc. seeks a Direct Material Global Sourcing Leader to guide strategy, optimize total cost of ownership, and manage a multi-year, multi-category sourcing program across regions.

You will build and lead a high-performing team of three professionals, partner with R&D, operations, and finance, and drive supplier innovation while ensuring compliance and sustainability across sourcing activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related field (MBA preferred).
• 10 years of progressive experience in global sourcing, procurement, or supply chain management, with at least 3 years in leadership roles.
• Proven track record building effective teams in direct material categories; remote work is preferred.
• Proven experience negotiating and managing complex global supplier agreements and partnerships.
• Experience in strategic sourcing of commodities, raw materials, and finished goods is preferred.
• Experience in a continuous improvement environment with a successful YOY track record.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the company’s global direct material sourcing strategy.
• Identify opportunities to optimize total cost of ownership and strengthen supplier relationships.
• Build and lead a global Direct Materials sourcing team.
• Develop and mature KPI tools and dashboards for performance measurement.
• Negotiate major global supplier contracts and manage supplier performance.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Sourcing leadership

Supplier management

Negotiation

Team leadership

AI for Purchasing

Financial acumen

Education

Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related field

MBA preferred

Tools

MS Office Suite (Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, Word)

Job description

It’s a great time to join Velcro Companies!

Summary of Position Responsibility:

Direct Material Global Sourcing Leader provides strategic leadership and direction for the company’s global direct sourcing needs, purchasing and supplier management functions. This role ensures cost-effective, ethical, and sustainable sourcing strategies that support organizational goals, strengthen supplier partnerships, mitigate risk, and drive competitive advantage. This role will develop a high-performing Direct Material Sourcing organization that regularly delivers value, innovation, and quality across all categories/regions worldwide. This position will lead a team of three (3) professionals.

As the Direct Material Leader, you will be knowledgeable of Company input materials and critical indices. The incumbent will be responsible for building multi-year, multi-category strategies which manifest into formal agreements that drive meaningful impact to the P&L.

This position is expected to contribute to the organization’s thought leadership in their respective categories and ensure the Company executes global sourcing initiatives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the company’s global sourcing and procurement strategy aligned with the Global VP and overall business objectives.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to optimize total cost of ownership, improve supply chain efficiency, and resilience. Incumbent will collaborate with Direct Category Managers to strengthen supplier relationships.
• Build and lead a global Direct Materials sourcing team capable of supporting current and future business growth.
• Continue to develop/enhance global metrics and KPI measuring tools for the betterment of the company utilizing “best in class” benchmarks.
• Lead, monitor, coach Sourcing team on all critical Sourcing KPI’s and initiatives/projects
• Stay current on category markets, industries, cost drivers and mega trends,
• Provide insights and economic outlook to inform and guide category strategies, keeping the company updated on opportunities & risks.
• Manage supporting personnel in the execution of the multi-step strategic sourcing process.
• Support strategy development, negotiations and contract approach for all major global business agreements.
• Establish a robust global supplier selection, evaluation, and performance management framework.
• Negotiate using established Global Direct Material contracts that secure favorable terms, mitigate risks, and ensure compliance with regulatory, ethical, and sustainability standards.
• Update, modify or enhance current templates as needed or as best practice dictates.
• Through the Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) framework, drive global supplier innovation in product development, technology, and supply chain resilience.

Operational Excellence

• Partner with internal stakeholders (R&D, operations, finance, quality, planning & logistics) to align sourcing strategies with organizational needs. (e.g. make v. buy)
• Implement best-in-class sourcing processes, tools, and analytics to enhance decision-making and visibility across the supply base.
• Ensure continuity of supply, price certainty and proactively manage global risks, including geopolitical, financial, and operational challenges.
• Lead the deployment of KPI’s that define performance targets aligned with the financial and supply chain performance goals of the company (global, regional, local).
• Collaborate with the VP of Global Procurement to implement Supply Chain Financing (SCF) solutions that extend payment terms, positively impact DPO and CCC., aligned with company goals across the Direct Material supplier base.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to company policies, legal requirements, and industry standards across all sourcing activities.
• Champion sustainability, diversity, and corporate social responsibility within the global supply chain.
• Monitor and report on sourcing performance, cost savings, and risk metrics to senior leadership.

Non-essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Other duties may be assigned or required for the performance of this position

Knowledge & Experience (Minimum Job Qualifications)

• You’re a driven and curious problem solver that has a bias for action, who can bring big ideas to life.
• You’re creative and resourceful but can navigate a complex organization with ease. You’re agile and adaptable but work with precision to ensure we deliver top-notch customer experiences, always.
• You have experience and proven track record deploying AI for Purchasing professionals.

You should also have:

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Business Administration, Engineering, or related field (MBA preferred).
• 10 years of progressive experience in global sourcing, procurement, or supply chain management, with at least 3 years in leadership roles.
• Demonstrated strong record for building effective teams in all direct material categories. Preference given to remote worker situations.
• Proven experience as a business leader with sound management skills and experience managing metric-oriented performance objectives.
• Proven track record of negotiating and managing complex global supplier agreements and partnerships
• Experience in Strategic Sourcing of commodities, raw material, and finished goods is preferred
• Experience in a continuous improvement environment with a successful YOY track record
• Experience operating successfully in an agile, highly matrixed environment
• Experience in team building and management of direct reports
• Experience in multicultural negotiations, contracting and supplier management activities required
• Experience in leading large, globally complex projects required
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to develop and manage budgets, forecasts, and business cases.
• Excellent leadership, communication, collaboration, presentation and influencing skills with the ability to operate across cultures and geographies.
• Strong change-management skills, able to lead transformation initiatives in fast-paced, dynamic environments
• Strategic thinker with demonstrated ability to deliver cost savings, supplier innovation, and operational efficiencies.
• Strong MS Office Skills (Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, Word).
• Ability to travel, both domestic and internationally; up to 20%.

Preferred Qualifications:

• LEAN and Kaizen experience.
• Scientific approach to problem solving
• 5/6 step sourcing approach
• Development/execution of direct material strategies
• Continuous improvement, Six Sigma concepts & methodologies, and work experience as a leader with excellent negotiation skills.
• Oracle or equivalent ERP experience.
• Ability to speak Spanish

Applicants must be authorized to work in the country of employment without current or future employer-sponsored visa support.

Fostering a culture where people thrive—safely, purposefully, and with opportunity. At Velcro USA Inc., we are committed to creating a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow. We offer competitive pay, a comprehensive benefits package, and generous time-off to meet the diverse needs of our workforce. Our culture encourages advancement and provides opportunities for both personal and professional development.

Safety is a core value at Velcro USA Inc. and an essential part of every role. We are dedicated to maintaining a safe, healthy work environment through strict adherence to our Global Safety Rules and our goal of achieving Zero Injuries of Any Kind (ZIAK). Employees are expected to complete required safety training, use personal protective equipment (PPE), report unsafe conditions, and follow protocols for fall protection, lockout/tagout (LOTO), hot work, and confined spaces. Together, we foster a culture of prevention, accountability, and care.

Health and Welfare Benefits:

Medical and Prescription Coverage (HSA and HRA Options)

Vision Coverage

Flexible Spending Accounts

Award Winning Wellness and Incentive Program

Life Insurance

Short- and Long-Term Disability

Business Travel Accident Insurance

Voluntary Accident & Critical Illness Insurance

EAP (Employee Assistance Program)

Retirement Savings Plan

401(k) Saving Plan with generous 5.5% Company match and Immediate Vesting

Paid Vacation Time

Paid Sick Time

13 Paid Company Holidays

Other Benefits and Programs

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Financial Wellness Benefit – Smart Dollar®

Employee Recognition Programs

Employee Resource Groups

Charitable or Educational Matching Gift Program

Employee Referral Bonus Program

Velcro Companies provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.