Procurement Manager - North America

Kurt J Lesker; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Kurt J. Lesker Company is seeking a Procurement Manager for North America to lead the procurement team and shape a competitive sourcing strategy across the region.

You will strengthen supplier relationships, negotiate terms, and drive cost improvements while collaborating with multiple functions to support growth initiatives. The role emphasizes risk management, KPI tracking, and cross-functional alignment to ensure timely delivery, quality, and supplier continuity in a global supply base.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive procurement, purchasing, sourcing, or supply-chain experience, including 3+ years in people management.
• Experience in supplier negotiations, purchasing execution, cost improvements, supplier performance, and delivery issues.
• Experience managing domestic and international suppliers and cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience in manufacturing, distribution, or complex supply environments with inventory and lead times.
• Knowledge of RFQs, payment terms, blanket orders, supplier capacity, and commercial terms.
• Proficiency with ERP systems and Excel for data analysis and risk communication.
• Willingness to travel domestically ~10% and internationally <5%.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the North America Procurement team with clear priorities and KPIs.
• Oversee day-to-day procurement operations, POs, supplier commitments, delivery, expediting, and escalations.
• Manage domestic suppliers and coordinate with regional teams on international suppliers to improve cost, quality, delivery, and continuity.
• Drive supplier performance via scorecards, reviews, corrective actions, and recovery plans.
• Lead supplier negotiations on pricing, cost reductions, terms, lead times, and minimum orders.
• Lead strategic sourcing, bidding, supplier selection, alternate sourcing, and qualification with regional teams.
• Identify and mitigate supply-chain risks related to inventory, capacity, logistics, and geopolitical factors.
• Collaborate across Supply Chain, Product Management, Sales, Quality, Operations, and Logistics to align priorities.
• Ensure accurate supplier, purchasing, cost, and lead-time data in ERP for informed decisions.
• Drive procurement standards, controls, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Track KPIs, supplier performance, shortages, cost changes, and risk; support budgeting and forecasting.
• Ensure adherence to company policies and approval controls.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Supplier negotiations

ERP proficiency

Excel analytics

Stakeholder management

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain or related field

MBA or advanced degree

CSCP/CPIM or similar certification

Tools

Dynamics 365

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Lead the team, strengthen supplier performance, and drive procurement results that fuel business growth!

As our Procurement Manager - North America, you’ll lead the procurement team and help shape a competitive supply strategy across North America. You’ll strengthen domestic and international supplier partnerships, lead negotiations and cost-improvement initiatives, and collaborate across the business to improve supplier performance and support our growth priorities.

Why Join Us?

At Kurt J. Lesker Company (KJLC), you’ll join a global leader in advanced manufacturing and vacuum technology supporting industries including semiconductors, aerospace, medical, and optics. Our work helps enable cutting-edge technologies, backed by a culture focused on innovation, collaboration, continuous learning, safety, sustainability, ethics, and excellence.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead, coach, and develop the North America Procurement team, establishing clear priorities, accountability, performance expectations, and procurement KPIs
• Oversee day-to-day procurement and purchasing operations, including purchase orders, supplier commitments, delivery management, expediting, material shortages, and escalations
• Manage domestic suppliers and partner with regional procurement teams on international suppliers to improve cost, quality, delivery, lead times, capacity, service, and supply continuity
• Drive supplier performance and development through scorecards, performance reviews, corrective actions, recovery plans, and continuous improvement
• Lead supplier negotiations involving pricing, cost reductions, payment terms, lead times, minimum-order requirements, blanket orders, and other commercial terms
• Lead strategic sourcing, competitive bidding, supplier selection, alternative-source development, and new-supplier qualification while partnering with regional procurement teams to strengthen the global supply base
• Identify and mitigate supply-chain risks related to inventory, capacity, commodities, logistics, geopolitical factors, material availability, and supplier continuity
• Partner across Supply Chain, Product Management, Sales, Customer Service, Quality, Operations, Warehouse, Logistics, and other functions to align procurement priorities with business and customer needs
• Ensure accurate supplier, purchasing, cost, and lead-time data within the ERP system to support effective procurement decisions
• Drive procurement standards, controls, and continuous-improvement initiatives across purchasing and supplier-management processes
• Track and communicate procurement KPIs, supplier performance, shortages, cost changes, sourcing initiatives, and material risks while supporting budgeting, forecasting, and business planning
• Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, contractual requirements, approval authority, and established controls
• Other duties assigned

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience
• 5+ years of progressive procurement, purchasing, sourcing, or supply-chain experience, including 3+ years of direct people-management experience
• Demonstrated experience in supplier negotiations, purchasing execution, cost improvement, supplier performance, and resolution of delivery or material-availability issues
• Experience managing domestic and international suppliers and collaborating across functions, divisions, or regions
• Experience in manufacturing, distribution, engineered products, or a similarly complex supply environment involving inventory, lead times, supplier constraints, and customer requirements
• Working knowledge of RFQs, inventory drivers, payment terms, blanket orders, supplier capacity, volume-based pricing, and commercial terms
• Proficiency with ERP systems and Microsoft Excel, with the ability to analyze procurement and supplier data and clearly communicate risks, options, and recommendations
• Ability to work independently, build alignment, and respectfully challenge proposed actions when business risk or procurement requirements warrant it
• Ability to travel domestically approximately 10% and internationally less than 5%

Preferred Qualifications:

• MBA or advanced degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, or a related field
• ASCM CSCP or CPIM, ISM CPSM, or comparable supply-chain or procurement certification
• Dynamics 365 or comparable ERP experience
• Foreign-language skills relevant to the company’s supplier base or regional business needs

#LI-Onsite

Kurt J. Lesker Company 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. KJLC is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities (unless doing so will result in undue hardship). If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to our human resources department at [e-mail] or call [phone] to provide the nature of your request.