Director of Procurement/Supplier Development Purchasing

East Penn Manufacturing Company, Inc.; Lyons (NC); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Group health insurance

Retirement savings plan with company 3

Paid holidays and vacation

Employee assistance program

Fitness discounts

Promotional opportunities

Job summary

East Penn Manufacturing Company, Inc. seeks a Director of Procurement and Supplier Development to lead procurement strategy, supplier selection, contract development, and supplier performance.

The role partners with Engineering, Quality, Operations, Sales, and Finance to secure quality materials at competitive total cost while advancing business objectives. The Director develops and mentors procurement personnel, drives continuous improvement, and provides clear reporting on cost, risk,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
• MBA or other relevant advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive procurement or supply-chain experience.
• 5+ years of leadership or management experience.
• Experience with strategic sourcing, supplier development, contracts, and risk mitigation.

Responsibilities

• Develop procurement strategy, governance, and supplier framework.
• Lead supplier selection, qualification, and contract negotiations.
• Oversee end-to-end procurement processes from supplier identification to purchase execution.
• Mentor and develop procurement personnel; drive continuous improvement.
• Monitor cost, delivery, quality, risk, and supplier performance with reporting to senior management.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic sourcing

Contract negotiation

Cost management

Supplier development

Risk management

Data analytics

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or related field

MBA or advanced degree (preferred)

Job description

Get to know East Penn!

East Penn is a stable, essential employer, that is poised for the energy needs of the future with 80 years of sustainable lead battery and battery accessory manufacturing expertise!

At East Penn, our employees are our culture; our employees will always be the heart of the company. We are a private, family-owned enterprise committed to cultivating an atmosphere that honors the contributions of everyone. We want our employees to have long-term careers, and many do. Almost 40% of our workforce has over a decade of service. Our open-door management policy, comprehensive benefits package, annual bonus program for all, and career advancement opportunities are just some of the ways we show our employees how incredibly valued they are.

Our hiring process may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help in the initial review of applications by identifying candidates whose qualifications best match job requirements. These tools do not make hiring decisions. All final hiring decisions regarding interviews and employment are made by our employee recruiting and hiring teams.

East Penn 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 status as a protected veteran.

EOE/VEVRAA

Overview

The Director of Procurement and Supplier Development leads procurement strategy, supplier selection, contract development, supplier performance, and supply risk management. This role establishes purchasing and receiving practices, strengthens supplier capability, and partners with Engineering, Quality, Operations, Sales, Finance, and senior management to secure quality materials and services at competitive total cost while supporting business objectives. The Director also develops and mentors procurement personnel, drives continuous improvement, and provides clear reporting on cost, risk, delivery, inventory, and supplier-development initiatives.

Responsibilities

Procurement Strategy and Governance

• Establish, implement, and continuously improve purchasing and receiving policies, procedures, controls, and standard work.
• Develop and maintain a long-term supplier strategy in collaboration with senior management and key business functions.
• Create a consistent model and templates for contract purchasing, supplier agreements, and commercial negotiations.
• Oversee the full procurement process, from supplier identification and qualification through contract execution and purchase transactions.
• Ensure supplier‑selection decisions are coordinated with Engineering, Quality, Operations, Sales, and other stakeholders, with Procurement maintaining commercial and sourcing governance.

Strategic Sourcing and Cost Management

• Lead market studies, competitive bidding, negotiations, and contracting activities that support cost reduction, cost containment, quality, and continuity of supply.
• Monitor commodity and raw‑material pricing and translate market movement into sourcing recommendations and business actions.
• Assign buyers to commodity‑specific projects and establish consistent reporting of results, risks, and opportunities to senior management.
• Evaluate alternative materials and suppliers in collaboration with Engineering, Quality, and Operations, including total cost and value‑benefit analysis.
• Lead major contract negotiations, including agreements with annual spend exceeding $10 million.

Logistics, Inventory, and Total Cost

• Analyze inbound freight costs by material and part number and recommend appropriate terms of sale, freight responsibility, and ownership transfer.
• Identify logistics improvements that reduce total landed cost and strengthen service performance.
• Balance supplier on‑time delivery, inventory availability, inventory carrying cost, and material turns when developing sourcing and replenishment strategies.
• Evaluate insurance and ownership‑of‑goods considerations in partnership with Finance, Legal, and Risk Management, as applicable.

Supplier Development and Supplier Quality

• Lead supplier selection, qualification, development, and ongoing performance management in alignment with business requirements.
• Partner with Supplier Quality Assurance to assess and improve supplier quality systems, process capability, corrective‑action effectiveness, and performance.
• Coordinate supplier documentation and commercial agreements before suppliers are added to the approved supplier list, including disclosure and indemnity requirements as applicable.
• Participate in the engineering approval process for supplied samples and production‑part approvals, including status reporting and cross‑functional issue resolution.
• Confirm that the business case, expected benefits, validation approach, and risks are defined before new suppliers, materials, or part numbers are introduced.

Risk, Compliance, and Business Continuity

• Assess and mitigate procurement and supplier risks, including financial strength, capacity, quality, geographic exposure, insurance coverage, and continuity of supply.
• Develop alternate sources for critical materials, components, equipment, and services.
• Ensure procurement activities support applicable government requirements and customer standards.
• Support responsible sourcing and supplier‑diversity practices, including small, minority‑owned, and women‑owned businesses where relevant to business and customer requirements.

Technology, Analytics, and Continuous Improvement

• Benchmark procurement best practices, supplier‑management methods, and enabling technologies.
• Promote effective use of information technology, electronic data interchange, digital sourcing tools, and data analytics.
• Use statistical analysis, financial analysis, and performance metrics to identify trends, support decisions, and measure results.
• Establish and monitor procurement and supplier‑performance measures, including cost, delivery, quality, risk, inventory, and project execution.

Leadership and Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and mentor procurement and supplier‑development personnel.
• Establish priorities, accountability, development plans, and performance expectations for the department.
• Build strong cross‑functional relationships and communicate effectively with employees, suppliers, and all levels of management.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of progressive procurement or supply‑chain experience.
• At least 5 years of leadership or management experience.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic sourcing, supplier development, contract negotiation, cost management, and supply‑risk mitigation.
• Experience working with manufacturing operations, production equipment, quality systems, and technical stakeholders.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, mathematical, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to develop policies, procedures, supplier strategies, metrics, and executive‑level recommendations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master of Business Administration or other relevant advanced degree.
• Experience in a complex manufacturing environment.
• Experience with quality‑control methods and supplier quality systems.
• Professional certification such as CPSM, CPIM, CSCP, or CPM.
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001, statistical process control, FMEA, design of experiments, and production‑part approval processes.

East Penn Benefits

East Penn offers excellent benefits:

• Competitive compensation
• Group health insurance that includes high quality medical, dental, vision and prescription coverage with a low employee premium
• Retirement Savings Plan with company match and a 3% employer contribution
• 9 paid company holidays, 2 paid personal holidays, and paid vacation days annually
• Employee assistance program
• Fitness Discounts
• Promotional opportunities