Direct Materials Sourcing Leader — Hybrid in Houston

Airswift; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Airswift partners with a growing chemical manufacturer in Houston, TX to identify a Direct Materials Category Manager for the Supply Chain team. You will develop sourcing strategies for direct materials and specialty chemicals, manage supplier relationships, negotiate contracts, and drive cost, quality, and supply continuity across a diverse materials portfolio.

Collaboration with Operations, Engineering, Finance, and Quality is key, using SAP, Tableau, Power BI, and Coupa to enable data-driven

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in category management or strategic sourcing for direct materials.
• Experience in chemical, petrochemical, or industrial manufacturing sectors.
• Strong negotiation, contract management, and supplier relationship skills.
• Proficient in SAP, Tableau, Power BI, Coupa or similar systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sourcing and category management strategies for direct materials, specialty chemicals, and commodity-based raw materials.
• Lead supplier negotiations, RFQs, contract development, and commercial agreement management.
• Identify, evaluate, and qualify new suppliers to strengthen the supply base and mitigate risk.
• Perform market analysis, spend analysis, and cost modeling to support sourcing decisions and pricing strategies.
• Monitor raw material, petrochemical, and energy market trends to identify opportunities and risks.
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, Finance, and Quality teams to align procurement strategies with business objectives.
• Drive supplier performance management initiatives focused on cost, quality, service, and delivery metrics.
• Maintain pricing, contracts, and procurement data within company systems and ensure compliance with procurement policies and processes.
• Leverage procurement technologies and analytics tools to improve visibility, decision‑making, and sourcing effectiveness.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Analytical skills

Supplier management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Chemistry, or related discipline

Tools

SAP

Tableau

Power BI

Coupa

Job description

Airswift partners with a growing chemical manufacturer in Houston, TX to identify a Direct Materials Category Manager for the Supply Chain team. You will develop sourcing strategies for direct materials and specialty chemicals, manage supplier relationships, negotiate contracts, and drive cost, quality, and supply continuity across a diverse materials portfolio.

Collaboration with Operations, Engineering, Finance, and Quality is key, using SAP, Tableau, Power BI, and Coupa to enable data-driven