Strategic Direct Procurement Lead — Remote

Placements24; Rustenburg; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive bonus

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Stock options

Remote-first

Home office stipend

Leadership development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a strategic Category Manager for Direct Procurement to lead sourcing strategy for key direct materials in a global manufacturing context. This remote-first role requires senior leadership to drive cost savings and supply resilience across nationwide operations.

You will develop category strategies, manage supplier relationships at the executive level, and lead cross-functional teams to achieve business objectives.

Qualifications

• MBA or Master’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing and category management in manufacturing.
• Proven track record managing multi-million dollar spend and delivering cost savings.
• Deep understanding of global supply markets and commodity trends.
• Strong negotiation, contract management and supplier relationship skills.
• Experience leading cross-functional and remote teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category strategies for direct procurement to meet cost, quality, and supply targets.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing processes: RFx, supplier selection, and contract negotiation.
• Manage strategic relationships with global suppliers and drive collaboration.
• Conduct market analysis to inform strategic decisions.
• Drive total cost of ownership reduction and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with R&D, Engineering, Operations, and Finance to align strategies.
• Establish supplier performance metrics and improvement plans.
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks and ensure business continuity.
• Lead cross-functional sourcing projects and initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with policies and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Category management

Negotiation

Supplier relationships

Leadership

Remote team leadership

Data analytics

SAP Ariba

Market analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

MBA in Supply Chain

Master's in Business

Tools

SAP Ariba

ERP systems

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a strategic Category Manager for Direct Procurement to lead sourcing strategy for key direct materials in a global manufacturing context. This remote-first role requires senior leadership to drive cost savings and supply resilience across nationwide operations.

You will develop category strategies, manage supplier relationships at the executive level, and lead cross-functional teams to achieve business objectives.