Director, Direct Procurement & Category Strategy

Accendra Health; Annapolis (MD); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Dental and vision coverage

Job summary

Accendra Health seeks a strategic Director of Direct Procurement & Category Management to shape enterprise-wide sourcing across direct materials, components, and contract manufacturing. You will lead supplier governance, risk management, and long-range supply planning to ensure product availability and quality for patients.

The role partners with Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Product Management, and Finance to align sourcing with business goals while driving cost optimization

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations, Life Sciences, Healthcare Administration, Finance, or related field.
• Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years progressive procurement, sourcing, category management, supply chain, healthcare products, medical device, pharmaceutical, biotech, or related experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing procurement or category management teams.
• Strong knowledge of category management, supplier risk management, quality systems, supply continuity planning, contracting, and commercial negotiations.
• Proven ability to influence executive stakeholders and lead enterprise-wide initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute long-term direct procurement and category strategies that support manufacturing, product supply, business growth, and customer commitments.
• Align procurement strategies with operational, commercial, quality, regulatory, and financial objectives.
• Lead strategic planning for critical raw materials, components, packaging, finished goods, and contract manufacturing categories.
• Establish sourcing strategies that ensure security of supply, quality performance, cost competitiveness, and scalability.
• Lead supply continuity strategies for critical healthcare products and production inputs.
• Develop dual-sourcing, risk mitigation, inventory, and capacity planning strategies to minimize operational disruption.
• Monitor supplier markets, global supply risks, geopolitical developments, and industry trends impacting product supply.
• Ensure proactive response planning for shortages, disruptions, recalls, and market volatility.
• Oversee category strategy development and execution across direct spend categories.
• Drive category optimization through market intelligence, supplier segmentation, should-cost modeling, and total-cost analyses.
• Identify new sourcing opportunities that support innovation, product development, and operational efficiency.
• Lead complex strategic sourcing initiatives and executive-level commercial negotiations.
• Establish executive relationships with strategic suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Lead supplier governance programs focused on performance, innovation, quality, capacity, and long-term business alignment.
• Conduct executive business reviews with critical suppliers.
• Collaborate with suppliers to improve service, responsiveness, product quality, and innovation.
• Partner with Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Operations leadership to ensure supplier compliance with applicable standards and requirements.
• Support supplier qualification, audits, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure sourcing strategies align with healthcare quality standards, regulatory requirements, and patient safety expectations.
• Participate in supplier escalation, remediation, and recovery activities as needed.
• Drive value creation through cost optimization, productivity initiatives, specification management, demand planning alignment, and supplier innovation.
• Support margin improvement objectives while maintaining quality and supply continuity requirements.
• Develop executive reporting, forecasting, and analytics related to spend, supplier performance, risk, and value realization.
• Lead negotiations involving long-term agreements, strategic partnerships, pricing structures, and capacity commitments.
• Lead and develop category managers, sourcing managers, and procurement professionals.
• Build procurement capabilities in strategic sourcing, supplier management, risk management, analytics, negotiation, and leadership.
• Establish a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, innovation, and execution excellence.
• Promote enterprise thinking and cross-functional partnership throughout the organization.
• Critical products and materials are available to support customer and patient needs.
• Supplier networks are resilient, scalable, cost competitive, and aligned with growth objectives.
• Category strategies support innovation, operational performance, and long-term profitability.
• Risks are identified early and mitigated effectively.
• Supplier partnerships deliver measurable quality, service, and innovation improvements.
• Procurement is recognized as a strategic enabler of business success and supply continuity.
• Strategic Mindset
• Business Insight
• Drives Vision and Purpose
• Decision Quality
• Plans and AlignsManages Complexity
• Organizational Savvy
• Develops Talent
• Collaborates
• Persuades
• Instills Trust
• Drives Results
• Resourcefulness
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations, Life Sciences, Healthcare Administration, Finance, or related field required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years progressive procurement, sourcing, category management, supply chain, manufacturing, healthcare products, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, biologics, or related experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing procurement or category management teams.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Category management

Supplier management

Contract negotiation

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

ERP systems

Procurement platforms

MS Office

Job description

Accendra Health seeks a strategic Director of Direct Procurement & Category Management to shape enterprise-wide sourcing across direct materials, components, and contract manufacturing. You will lead supplier governance, risk management, and long-range supply planning to ensure product availability and quality for patients.

The role partners with Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Product Management, and Finance to align sourcing with business goals while driving cost optimization