Director of Procurement

Real; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Real, a rapidly growing medical device company, seeks a Director of Procurement to lead global sourcing, supplier management, and CMOs as the business advances toward commercialization.

The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution, overseeing a team of procurement professionals and partnering with Engineering, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, and Finance to scale procurement processes and ensure regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or related field.
• 6+ years of procurement, strategic sourcing, or supplier management in MedTech or regulated manufacturing.
• Must have Class III Cardiovascular Experience.
• Proven experience managing contract manufacturers (CMOs) and complex supplier networks.
• Strong knowledge of FDA quality regulations, ISO 13485, and supplier quality requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of procurement professionals across direct, indirect, and NPI categories.
• Establish and execute sourcing strategies for components, materials, tooling, and services.
• Own supplier lifecycle: selection, qualification, onboarding, performance, and risk management.
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, and long-term supplier partnerships.
• Coordinate with global contract manufacturing partners, including European suppliers.
• Drive capacity planning, scheduling alignment, and issue resolution with CMOs.
• Support technology transfers, scale-up, and manufacturing validation.
• Implement supplier governance programs, KPIs, scorecards, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure supplier compliance with FDA QSR, ISO 13485, EU MDR, and company standards.
• Lead supplier audits, corrective actions, and business continuity planning.
• Participate in S&OP processes and support commercialization goals.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Sourcing

Supplier Management

CMO Management

Cross-functional Collaboration

German language (preferred)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, or Business

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

A rapidly growing medical device company is seeking a Director of Procurement to lead global sourcing, supplier management, and contract manufacturing operations as the organization advances toward commercialization. This is a high-impact leadership role offering the opportunity to build scalable procurement processes, strengthen supplier partnerships, and support the growth of innovative technologies that improve patient outcomes.

This position combines strategic leadership with operational execution and will oversee a team of procurement professionals while serving as a key partner to Engineering, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, and Finance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of procurement professionals across direct, indirect, and new product introduction (NPI) categories.
• Establish and execute sourcing strategies for components, materials, tooling, and critical services.
• Own the supplier lifecycle, including supplier selection, qualification, onboarding, performance management, and risk mitigation.
• Negotiate commercial agreements, pricing structures, and long-term supplier partnerships.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison with global contract manufacturing partners, including key suppliers in Europe.
• Drive capacity planning, production scheduling alignment, and issue resolution with external manufacturing partners.
• Support technology transfers, product scale-up initiatives, and manufacturing validation activities.
• Implement supplier governance programs, KPIs, scorecards, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure supplier compliance with FDA QSR, ISO 13485, EU MDR, and company quality standards.
• Lead supplier audits, corrective action programs, and business continuity planning.
• Participate in S&OP processes and contribute to broader operational and commercialization objectives.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 6+ years of procurement, strategic sourcing, or supplier management experience within MedTech, biotech, life sciences, or another regulated manufacturing environment.
• Must have Class III Cardiovascular Experience
• Proven experience managing contract manufacturers (CMOs) and complex supplier networks.
• Strong knowledge of FDA quality regulations, ISO 13485, and supplier quality requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders at multiple levels.

Preferred

• Experience working with German suppliers or fluency in German.
• Background supporting startup, scale-up, or high-growth organizations.
• Strong negotiation and supplier relationship management capabilities.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and data-driven procurement planning.
• Familiarity with commercialization, manufacturing scale-up, and new product introduction activities.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to join a well-funded and growing medical device organization at a pivotal stage of growth. The successful candidate will have significant visibility across the business and play a critical role in building the procurement infrastructure that supports global expansion and commercialization efforts

EOE Statement: Specialist Staffing Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

• In addition to base pay, direct-hire employees may be eligible for client offered benefits such as medical, dental, and vision coverage, and paid leave where required by applicable law. Eligibility may vary based on factors such as location and hire date and is subject to change.