Strategic Purchasing Manager – Americas

Profils; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Safran is seeking a Strategic Purchasing Manager for the Americas to lead the regional indirect purchasing program across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This role drives cost optimization, supplier governance, and contract management in alignment with Safran Group objectives.

The role involves developing regional strategies, leading a team of commodity managers, and collaborating with cross-functional partners to deliver measurable value through procurement transformation and risk

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, SCM, Engineering, Finance or related field.
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional indirect purchasing strategies for the Americas.
• Drive supplier performance, cost reduction and risk management.
• Develop and manage commodity roadmaps aligned with corporate strategies.
• Collaborate with operations, finance, and legal to optimize contracts.
• Monitor supplier performance and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Promote digitalization, automation, and standardization across procurement.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Negotiation

Financial acumen

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA preferred

Tools

SAP ERP

MS Excel

Job description

Purchasing - Management of purchasing domains

Job title

Strategic Purchasing Manager – Americas

Employment type

Permanent

Professional category

Full-time

Lead the Strategic Purchasing team for non-production goods and services across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The role develops and executes regional purchasing strategies, leads the purchasing team, and partners with business functions to deliver measurable value through cost optimization, contractual coverage, supplier performance, risk management, customer service, compliance, and procurement transformation in alignment with Safran Group objectives and policies.

Key Accountabilities

Strategy and Business Impact

• Develop and implement regional indirect purchasing strategies for non-production goods and services across the Americas.
• Lead the team's contribution to key company objectives, including accelerating digitalization, expanding automation, strengthening strategic purchasing capabilities, increasing contractual coverage, and continuing to develop a best-in-class preferred supplier panel.
• Create and execute commodity roadmaps aligned with business objectives and corporate purchasing strategies.
• Identify and deliver sustainable cost reduction opportunities while maintaining quality, service, and supplier performance standards.
• Analyze market trends, supplier capabilities, and industry developments to support informed sourcing decisions.
• Drive procurement excellence initiatives, standardization efforts, and continuous process improvements across the region.

People and Organizational Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Commodity Managers and purchasing professionals.
• Establish team objectives, monitor performance, and support professional development initiatives.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Allocate resources effectively to ensure successful execution of regional procurement priorities.

Sourcing, Contracting, and Supplier Management

• Lead complex sourcing activities, negotiations, supplier selection processes, and contract management initiatives.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers.
• Monitor supplier performance and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Support risk mitigation initiatives through supplier diversification and contingency planning.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate supplier, supply continuity, financial, regulatory, and geopolitical risks affecting the non-production supply base.

Measures of Success

• Expected savings and sustainable value delivery.
• Contractual coverage and preferred-supplier adoption.
• Supplier performance, continuity, and risk mitigation.
• Customer service levels and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Internal control, policy, and ethical purchasing compliance.
• Delivery of digitalization, automation, standardization, and broader transformation objectives.

But what else? (advantages, specificities, etc.)

Stakeholder Influence and Governance

• Partner with business leaders across the Americas to understand current and future procurement requirements.
• Present sourcing strategies, savings initiatives, market insights, and performance metrics to senior leadership.
• Collaborate closely with Safran Group purchasing organizations to leverage global synergies and best practices.
• Promote purchasing governance and ensure compliance with company policies and procedures.
• Ensure sourcing and contracting activities comply with applicable laws, company policies, delegated authorities, confidentiality requirements, and ethical purchasing standards.

Operational Excellence and Transformation

• Develop reporting tools, dashboards, and performance metrics to measure procurement effectiveness.
• Support standardization of procurement processes, templates, and contractual frameworks.
• Ensure effective management of procurement projects and strategic initiatives throughout the region.

Role Scope and Decision Authority

• Regional scope: United States, Canada, and Mexico.
• Functional scope: Non-production goods and services.
• People scope: Leads Commodity Managers and purchasing professionals.
• Decision authority: Acts within delegated approval limits for sourcing approvals, negotiations, contracting, and supplier selection.
• Key interfaces: Operations, Finance, Legal, executive leadership, regional business stakeholders

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Finance, or a related field required.
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 8 years of progressive procurement, sourcing, or supply chain management experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic sourcing and commodity management.
• Experience leading teams, projects, or cross-functional initiatives; formal people-management experience is preferred.
• Experience supporting regional or multinational procurement organizations preferred.
• Demonstrated success in procurement transformation initiatives, including digitalization, automation, process standardization, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated success in increasing contractual coverage and developing best-in-class preferred supplier panels.
• Aerospace, industrial manufacturing, or highly regulated industry experience is a plus.

Leadership

• Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop individuals and teams, including through project-based or cross-functional leadership.
• Strong organizational and people management skills.
• Ability to influence and build relationships at all levels of the organization.

Strategic Thinking

• Capable of translating business objectives into actionable procurement strategies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

Multitasking & Prioritization

• Highly motivated self-starter with the ability to manage multiple projects and conflicting priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment while meeting deadlines and business objectives.

Communication & Negotiation

• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong negotiation skills with experience managing complex commercial agreements.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP preferred.
• Openness to learning and adopting company-approved innovative digital tools, including AI-enabled applications and other emerging technologies that improve purchasing efficiency, analysis, and decision-making.
• Fluency in English required; French and/or Spanish language skills are a plus.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Strategic Purchasing Manager, Senior Commodity Manager, or Procurement Leader.
• Experience developing and implementing procurement strategies across multiple countries.
• Knowledge of aerospace procurement practices and supplier management.

TBD

Job location

North America, United States, Texas

City (-ies)

2201 W. Royal Lane Irving, TX 75063 Irving

Bachelor's Degree

Minimum experience level required

More than 8 years

• Spanish (Beginner)
• French (Beginner)

ITAR Controlled Position: Select "Yes" if role requires U.S. citizenship/permanent residency

No

General information

Safran is an international high-technology group operating in the fields of aerospace (propulsion, equipment and interiors), space and defense. Its mission is to contribute sustainably to a safer world, where air transport becomes ever more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Present on every continent, the Group employs 110,000 people and generated €31.3 billion in revenue in 2025. Safran holds, either independently or through partnerships, leading global or European positions in its markets.

Entity

Safran is an international high-technology group operating in the fields of aerospace (propulsion, equipment and interiors), space and defense. Its mission is to contribute sustainably to a safer world, where air transport becomes ever more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Present on every continent, the Group employs 110,000 people and generated €31.3 billion in revenue in 2025. Safran holds, either independently or through partnerships, leading global or European positions in its markets.

Safran was ranked second in the Aerospace & Defense sector in TIME magazine's "World's Best Companies 2025" ranking.