Strategic Procurement & Production Planning Manager

Own the daily rhythm of a multi-site supply chain

You start your morning scanning supplier scorecards and the latest vendor lead-time updates. A quick stand-up with your buyers, category managers, and planners aligns priorities: key purchase orders to release, an RFQ to finalize, and an SIOP make/buy decision to close with cross-functional leaders. By midday, you’re at the MDI boards visualizing capacity and material flow in the ERP, producing weekly capacity and lead-time reports for internal stakeholders. In the afternoon, you’re negotiating long-term agreements without compromising quality, reviewing inventory segmentation (ABC/XYZ), validating cycle count accuracy across all division locations, and optimizing outbound logistics routes to drive the lowest cost per unit while meeting customer expectations. You close the day mentoring a team member, documenting SOP adherence, and confirming spend thresholds and approvals are in order. You report directly to the Division VP & GM.

What you’ll lead

Team Leadership & Development (10%)

• Coach and develop a purchasing organization with clear goals and routine feedback.
• Ensure alignment to Standard Operating Procedures and utilize Voice of Customer feedback to elevate supplier and team performance.
• Provide mentorship while enforcing purchase-level spend thresholds and seeking appropriate approvals when required.

Supplier & Category Management (30%)

• Qualify and onboard new suppliers to diversify risk and strengthen the supply base.
• Maintain strong relationships with existing suppliers; use scorecards to hold top partners accountable to contracts, quality, standards, and delivery.
• Develop contingency and alternative supply plans to protect production and on-time delivery.
• Issue POs and manage daily/weekly procurement communications via email, phone, and in-person.
• Administer RFP/RFQ processes and partner with Corporate Strategic Sourcing on VMI, consignment, and LTA programs.
• Manage spend-level approvals and thresholds; escalate to plant managers or executives when needed.

Materials & Cost Management (20%)

• Lead make/buy analysis within SIOP in partnership with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Implement effective procurement and MRP strategies to ensure timely purchasing as standard work.
• Negotiate favorable pricing, terms, and conditions while preserving quality.
• Partner with Product Management to plan parts and suppliers for new product development, as well as rationalization, cannibalization, and retirement.
• Monitor pricing and material margins daily/weekly against budgets and contracts.

Inventory Optimization (15%)

• Align vendor partners with safety stock requirements.
• Review vendor lead times regularly and publish reports for peers and internal customers.
• Lead ABC/XYZ segmentation to achieve or exceed target inventory turns.
• Own the cycle counting process division-wide to maintain ≥96% accuracy and align with corporate strategies.
• Collaborate with Product Management on NPD forecasting and phase-out plans for cannibalized/rationalized parts.

Production Planning & Logistics (25%)

• Establish and sustain a standardized ERP capacity planning model across all division locations.
• Visualize production planning via MDI tools and publish weekly capacity and lead-time analytics.
• Lead and own SIOP to align sales, inventory, and operations for both near- and long-term horizons.
• Coordinate outbound production logistics (planned routes, LTL, contract freight) and optimize capacity to achieve lowest cost per unit while meeting reliability standards.
• Publish weekly logistics route utilization reports.

Location & Travel

Onsite in Thorofare, NJ; Arlington, TX; or Howell, MI. This role is 100% in-office (no remote or hybrid) and requires approximately 20% travel for routine plant and supplier visits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, business, economics, or analytics (required).
• APICS CSCP or CPIM (preferred).
• 5+ years in supply chain with emphasis on purchasing, procurement, and category/vendor management.
• 2+ years leading at least two buyers or planners; able to lead through influence across functions.
• Advanced Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint skills.
• Proven ERP/MRP subject matter expertise and data-driven decision-making capability.

Compensation & Benefits

Anticipated salary: $115,000 – $125,000 annually, depending on experience, qualifications, and skills. May be eligible for an annual bonus and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and vacation time.