Expert Procurement Project Lead

KION Group; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 113,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Restaurant cannot be determined

Job summary

Dematic in Grand Rapids, MI is seeking an Expert Procurement Project Lead to drive execution on our most complex, high-value customer projects. You will partner with PM, Engineering, Finance, Quality, and Suppliers to craft strategies and ensure on-time delivery and performance.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years of project-based procurement experience, strong sourcing and risk-management skills, and the ability to influence across organizations without direct authority.

Qualifications

• Extensive project-based procurement experience and strategic mindset.
• Strong leadership and influencing skills across multi-region teams.
• Proven ability to manage complex, high-value projects with risk control.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement delivery for the most intricate, high-value projects.
• Develop project-specific procurement strategies aligned with objectives.
• Act as main procurement leader ensuring scope, schedule, cost, and quality.
• Drive cross-functional accountability across PM, Eng, Finance, and suppliers.
• Lead procurement across multiple concurrent projects and accounts.
• Balance cost, schedule, risk, and supplier performance to inform decisions.
• Develop and maintain Procurement Execution Plans.
• Own risk and issue management related to procurement.
• Assess impacts of scope changes and supplier changes on procurement.
• Resolve supplier performance and delivery issues to protect objectives.
• Collaborate with Category Management to source qualified suppliers.
• Influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Report procurement metrics and support continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Influence without authority

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Education

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

Master's degree or equivalent experience preferred

CPSM and/or PMP certification preferred

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

SAP

Microsoft Teams

Job description

Dematic is seeking an Expert Procurement Project Lead (PPL) to lead procurement execution for the organization's most complex, strategic, and high-value customer projects. This role serves as the senior procurement subject matter expert for project execution, partnering closely with Project Management, Engineering, Solutions Development, Finance, Quality, Manufacturing, Procurement Category Management, and Suppliers to ensure successful project delivery. The Expert PPL is responsible for developing and executing procurement strategies that optimize project outcomes, mitigate risk, protect customer commitments, and support business objectives. This role provides leadership through influence, expertise, and execution excellence while serving as a trusted advisor for complex procurement, supplier, commercial, and project execution challenges. The ideal candidate possesses extensive project-based procurement expertise, exceptional problem-solving capabilities, and a proven ability to lead through influence in highly complex project environments.

We offer: Career Development Competitive Compensation and Benefits Pay Transparency Global Opportunities Learn More Here: https://www.dematic.com/en-us/about/careers/what-we-offer

Dematic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

The base pay range for this role is estimated to be $112,875 - $155,000 annually at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined by various factors such as work location, education, experience, knowledge, and skills.

What You Will Do in this Role

• Take charge of procurement delivery for Dematic’s most intricate, strategic, and high-value customer projects.
• Develop and complete project-specific procurement strategies aligned with project objectives, customer requirements, and business goals.
• Act as the main procurement leader, responsible for procurement outcomes that support scope, schedule, quality, cost, and customer commitments.
• Drive accountability throughout Project Management, Engineering, Finance, Quality, Manufacturing, Category Management, and suppliers to ensure project success.
• Lead procurement activities across multiple concurrent projects and strategic customer accounts.
• Balance cost, schedule, risk, supplier performance, and customer commitments to make well-founded business decisions.
• Develop and maintain Procurement Execution Plans aligned to achievements, supplier commitments, critical path activities, and risk mitigation efforts.
• Own procurement risk and issue management, proactively identifying, mitigating, and resolving risks that impact project outcomes.
• Assess and manage procurement impacts related to scope changes, engineering revisions, supplier changes, commercial modifications, and schedule changes.
• Lead resolution of complex supplier performance, quality, capacity, commercial, and delivery issues to protect project objectives.
• Partner with Category Management to develop sourcing strategies and secure qualified suppliers for complex project requirements.
• Influence project collaborators, suppliers, customers, and cross-functional teams without direct authority while promoting responsibility for commitments and actions.
• Serve as a trusted procurement advisor and business leader in project reviews, addressing blocking issues, executive discussions, and customer engagements.
• Own procurement performance metrics, executive reporting, achievement tracking, supplier performance, and delivery of procurement commitments.
• Lead continuous improvement, organizational capability development, and mentoring to strengthen procurement project execution excellence.

What We Are Looking For

• 10+ years of relevant project-based procurement experience supporting complex automation, engineering, construction, manufacturing, or capital equipment projects.
• Proven track record in managing procurement for large-scale, complex, and strategically important customer projects.
• Recognized expertise in project-based procurement, supplier management, project execution, and risk management.
• Deep understanding of project management principles including critical path analysis, risk management, issue management, collaborator management, change control, and project performance reporting.
• Demonstrated expertise applying project management tools and methodologies including executive scorecards, risk heat maps, action registers, issue tracking systems, achievement reporting, and performance dashboards.
• Proven ability to influence project teams, suppliers, customers, and executive collaborators without direct authority.
• Strong business insight and ability to make sound decisions in complex and ambiguous situations.
• Proven track record managing resolution of highly complex supplier, commercial, and project implementation challenges.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to lead multi-stakeholder, multi-region, and highly complex strategic projects.
• Background in process improvement and operational excellence preferred.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• Preferred experience with SAP and Microsoft Teams.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• A Master's degree or equivalent experience is preferred.
• Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) preferred and/or Project Management Professional (PMP) preferred.

KION brands keep the world moving – globally, regionally, and locally. KION is the Supply Chain Solutions Company. With over 42,000 employees in more than 100 countries, we enable smart, sustainable, and reliable supply chains worldwide - wherever goods are stored, moved, or delivered. KION offers its customers the full spectrum of solutions to make their supply chains future-ready. Our international brands, Linde Material Handling, STILL, and Baoli and our regional brands, Fenwick and OM, stand for outstanding technological innovation, intelligent automation and service excellence in forklift trucks and warehouse equipment. Dematic complements this expertise with state-of-the-art automation technology and AI-supported software solutions that optimize intralogistics across warehousing, production, and distribution. Whether locally or globally – we offer exciting career opportunities in an innovative environment shaped by our core values: Integrity, Collaboration, Courage, and Excellence. Together, we create the magic of supply chain solutions. Join our team – Push it forward.