The Director of Procurement leads GILLIG’s operational procurement organization and translates business priorities into supplier, cost, material-planning, and risk-management strategies. Reporting to the Senior Director, Supply Chain, this role directly leads three Supply Chain Managers, each of whom leads a Buyer/Planner team. The Director provides leadership and direction for these Buyer/Planner organizations. The Director is accountable for supplier performance, commercial execution, material availability, cost improvement, and organizational capability while serving as a senior escalation point for complex supply issues.
IN THIS ROLE YOU WILL
- Lead, coach, and develop the Procurement team by establishing clear priorities, accountability, succession plans, and performance expectations while building organizational capability through talent development, role clarity, cross-training, and effective workforce planning.
- Develop and execute operational procurement and material-planning strategies aligned with production plans, business objectives, supplier capabilities, and market conditions, while partnering with Strategic Sourcing
- Ensure materials, services, and supplies are available to support production while balancing continuity, quality, lead time, inventory, and total cost.
- Own strategic supplier relationships and serve as the executive escalation point for supplier capacity, delivery, quality, commercial, and contractual issues.
- Lead major negotiations, supplier agreements, contracts, and cost-management initiatives, including value engineering and sustainable productivity actions.
- Establish procurement operating rhythms, dashboards, and supplier KPIs to monitor shortages, on-time delivery, cost, inventory exposure, and corrective actions.
- Identify and mitigate supply chain risks associated with supplier financial health, capacity, quality, sole-source dependencies, logistics, and geopolitical conditions.
- Oversee Inside Metal Fabrication operations, ensuring effective workforce planning, resource utilization, operational performance, and alignment with production, engineering, and supply chain objectives.
- Partner with Engineering, Operations, Production, Quality, Finance, Sales, Customer Care, and Legal to support new products, engineering changes, production requirements, and business priorities.
- Support budgeting, forecasting, annual operating planning, and financial analysis for procurement-related cost, savings, and risk assumptions.
- Drive standardized processes, data quality, MRP discipline, and continuous improvement across procurement activities.
- Perform other duties and lead special initiatives as required.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Business, Engineering, Finance, or related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
- 8+ years of progressive procurement, material planning, or supply chain experience in a manufacturing environment.
- 5+ years of people-leadership experience, including experience leading managers or multi-layer teams.
- Demonstrated success leading operational procurement teams, supplier negotiations, contracts, and complex commercial decisions.
- Strong knowledge of manufacturing, MRP, procurement, inventory, supplier performance, and supply-risk management processes.
- Ability to analyze financial, operational, and supplier data and translate insights into decisions and executive-level recommendations.
- Proven ability to lead through influence and partner effectively with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, Legal, and senior leadership.
- Experience leading union-represented workforces and effectively managing labor relations within a manufacturing environment is preferred
- Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and conflict-resolution skills, with the judgment to manage high-impact escalations.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience using ERP/MRP systems; advanced Excel and data-visualization skills preferred.
- Experience with lean principles, formal continuous improvement, value engineering, or procurement transformation preferred.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
- Ability to lift up to 25 lbs.
- Prolonged periods of sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer.
- Regularly required to sit, stand, and walk, and occasionally kneel or squat.
- The ideal candidate must be able to complete all physical requirements of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
- Ability to travel approximately 5-10%, including supplier visits, as business needs require.
- Must be able to navigate an office, manufacturing floor, and warehouse environment and work safely around heavy machinery and tools.
- Must be able to wear required Personal Protective Equipment, including safety glasses, hearing protection as required.
GILLIG is committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace that values and respects the unique talents, experiences, and perspectives of our employees and the people we serve. As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.