Strategic R&D Procurement Lead for Prototype & Innovation

BD; Durham (AR); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

BD in Durham, NC is seeking an R&D Procurement Manager to lead prototype sourcing, supplier qualification, and innovation partnerships across the product development lifecycle.

You will embed with development teams, engage suppliers early in design, and drive rapid prototyping and strategic sourcing to accelerate commercialization. This on-site role requires up to 15% travel and a strong background in engineering, procurement, and cross-functional leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, supply chain, procurement, business administration, or related discipline.
• 5 years of experience in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Supplier Development, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or Project Management.
• Proven track record in supplier scouting, supplier qualification, supplier development, and supply base optimization.
• Strong experience identifying, evaluating, and onboarding new supplier partners in complex manufacturing environments.
• Ability to travel up to 15%

Responsibilities

• Serve as an embedded procurement partner within cross-functional development teams, enabling procurement-driven innovation and accelerating product development timelines.
• Engage suppliers early in the design process to leverage their technical expertise, manufacturing capabilities, and innovation potential.
• Drive rapid prototyping and supplier collaboration to shorten development cycles and support faster commercialization.
• Develop and maintain a robust global network of suppliers specializing in automation technologies, precision mechanics, electromechanical systems, electronics, and advanced manufacturing solutions.
• Continuously scout emerging technologies, innovative suppliers, and strategic partners to enhance BD's competitive advantage.
• Lead supplier qualifications, technical assessments, and capability evaluations to ensure alignment with business and technical requirements.
• Build and maintain a strong supplier pipeline to support future growth, sourcing flexibility, and business continuity.
• Drive strategic sourcing initiatives and supplier transitions toward higher-performing and more competitive suppliers.
• Lead market intelligence activities, supplier benchmarking, and competitive assessments across mechanical and electromechanical categories.
• Support supply base optimization initiatives that improve cost competitiveness, quality performance, and supply resilience.
• Develop Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), Should-Cost, and Built-In Cost models to support informed sourcing and design decisions.
• Influence make-versus-buy decisions, modularization strategies, standardization initiatives, and platform optimization efforts early in development.
• Drive Design-to-Cost and Value Engineering initiatives to ensure products achieve target cost objectives without compromising performance or quality.
• Represent the Voice of the Supplier within development teams by actively contributing to Design Reviews, DFMEA/PFMEA activities, Control Plans, and manufacturing readiness assessments.
• Collaborate closely with suppliers to oversee Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), qualification activities, and launch readiness.
• Ensure successful industrialization and smooth transfer from prototype to serial production environments.
• Continuously improve Advanced Procurement processes, tools, and governance frameworks to increase efficiency, transparency, and speed.
• Own procurement-related performance metrics during development and launch phases, ensuring achievement of cost, quality, delivery, and timeline objectives.

Skills

Strategic Sourcing

Supplier Development

Procurement

Supply Chain Management

Engineering Knowledge

Project Management

Negotiation

Cross-functional Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, supply chain, procurement, business administration, or related discipline

Job description

BD in Durham, NC is seeking an R&D Procurement Manager to lead prototype sourcing, supplier qualification, and innovation partnerships across the product development lifecycle.

You will embed with development teams, engage suppliers early in design, and drive rapid prototyping and strategic sourcing to accelerate commercialization. This on-site role requires up to 15% travel and a strong background in engineering, procurement, and cross-functional leadership.