Director of Purchasing

Innospec Inc.; Englewood (CO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Innospec Inc. seeks a Director of Purchasing to lead NA procurement strategy, supplier relationships, and contract management.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize materials, forecast demand, and mitigate risks, while driving continuous process improvements and compliance with policy and SOX requirements. You will mentor teams across North America, shape forward-looking purchasing strategies, and work with Sales and Product teams to ensure supply and cost effectiveness

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline; MCIPS preferred.
• 10+ years in procurement or supply chain in a chemical manufacturing environment.
• Proven negotiation and commercial skills with experience negotiating NDAs, commercial agreements, and supplier contracts.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management across functions and external partners.
• Experience managing e-tenders and e-auctions as part of sourcing and procurement activities.
• Demonstrated people leadership and management experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead the negotiation, implementation, and ongoing management of strategic contracts and supplier relationships for raw materials and related services across North America.
• Ensure continuity and security of supply by identifying and mitigating risks and evaluating supplier capabilities and market conditions.
• Partner with senior Purchasing and Demand teams to optimize inventory levels based on forecasted demand and lead times.
• Collaborate with U.S. and global procurement teams to identify sourcing synergies and best practices.
• Represent Purchasing at Business Team meetings with insights on sourcing strategies, costs, risks, and supply conditions.
• Support S&OP to understand demand and forecasted constraints and develop solutions.
• Support new product development with dual-source strategies to mitigate future risks.
• Build partnerships with Sales leadership, negotiating pricing and tender-specific requirements.
• Support working capital and cash management objectives in line with corporate targets.
• Lead continuous improvement of procurement processes to ensure compliance with policies and standards, leveraging current and emerging systems and AI.
• Provide leadership to direct and indirect reports across North America.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Analytical ability

Relationship building

Stakeholder management

People leadership

E-tenders and e-auctions

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering

MCIPS qualification

Job description

The Director of Purchasing directs the procurement and purchasing operations and strategy to provide the materials and services to meet organizational requirements for quality, volume, availability, and pricing. Evaluates and develops strategic supplier relationships, negotiates contracts, and implements systems for monitoring performance, assessing risk, and responding to changes in demand or disruptions in the supply chain. Collaborates with other functions to define current and future inventory requirements and manage inventory levels. Designs processes and systems and utilizes technical tools to analyze data and increase responsiveness to material demands. Incorporates auditing processes to ensure procurement and recordkeeping comply with any applicable industry or governmental regulations.

Essential Functions

• Lead the negotiation, implementation, and ongoing management of strategic contracts and supplier relationships for raw materials, traded products, and associated storage and tolling services across North America
• Ensure continuity and security of supply by identifying and mitigating supply risks, reducing single‑source dependencies where feasible, and regularly evaluating supplier capabilities, market conditions, and the commercial impact of key raw materials
• Partner with the VP of Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, Supply Chain Manager, and Demand Manager to optimize raw material and traded product inventory levels based on forecasted demand, availability, lead times, and broader business requirements
• Collaborate closely with U.S. Purchasing and global procurement teams to identify and implement sourcing synergies, strategic supply agreements, and operational best practices, while supporting global strategic initiatives as appropriate
• Represent Purchasing at relevant Business Team meetings, providing insight and recommendations on North American sourcing strategies, supplier markets, costs, risks, and supply conditions
• Partner with Supply Chain to ensure timely and cost-effective supply across North American locations. Actively participate in Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) to understand current and forecasted demand, identify potential supply constraints, and develop appropriate solutions
• Support new product development and commercialization by establishing competitive and dual‑source strategies where feasible, helping mitigate future supply and availability risks in collaboration with Product Management, R&T, and CTS
• Build strong partnerships with Sales leadership by providing relevant market and supply intelligence, negotiating competitive resale product pricing, supporting tender‑specific purchasing requirements, and participating in customer meetings when appropriate.
• Support working capital and cash management objectives in alignment with established corporate targets
• Lead the continuous improvement of procurement processes to ensure compliance with Innospec Corporate Purchasing Policy, SOX requirements, Quality Management standards, and established business controls, while maximizing the effective use of current and emerging systems and technologies, including AI
• Provide effective leadership and direction to direct and indirect reports across North America, ensuring alignment with business priorities, performance expectations, and strategic objectives
• Develop and execute a forward‑looking North American purchasing strategy aligned with regional business priorities and the broader global procurement and supply chain strategy

Role Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline; MCIPS qualification preferred
• 10+ years of relevant experience in a similar procurement or supply chain role within a chemical manufacturing environment, including experience managing third‑party manufacturing relationships
• Proven negotiation and commercial skills, with strong analytical capabilities and experience negotiating NDAs, commercial agreements, and supplier contracts
• Strong relationship‑building and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and with external partners
• Experience managing e‑tenders and e‑auctions as part of strategic sourcing and procurement activities
• Demonstrated people leadership and management experience, with the ability to lead, develop, and motivate teams