Director of Procurement

Overview:

Robert Half is partnering with a leading manufacturing company located in the North Kansas City area, to find an experienced Director of Procurement. This critical leadership role requires expertise in supply chain management, strategic procurement planning, and supplier relationship management. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of developing procurement strategies, driving cost savings, and leading procurement teams to achieve measurable performance outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Procurement Strategy Development:
• Set a clear vision for the Procurement function, articulating the roadmap and accountabilities required to achieve that vision.
• Develop and execute the company's Procurement strategy, ensuring it aligns with the company’s overall supply chain and business objectives.
• Global Utility & Raw Material Strategy:
• Create global utility strategies and optimize site demands where applicable.
• Collaborate with staff and CFO to design and deliver effective raw material hedging strategies.
• Process Ownership and Optimization:
• Act as the process owner for the company's procurement operations, designing, developing, and managing end-to-end processes and capabilities.
• Continuously improve procurement processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness across the organization.
• Performance Management:
• Lead and monitor the global procurement function, ensuring performance outcomes align with organizational expectations.
• Develop and publish balanced scorecards and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success, drive continuous improvement, and provide actionable insights through data analysis.
• Cost Reduction and Savings Optimization:
• Monitor spend under contract and implement cost-reduction initiatives to achieve tangible savings across the organization.
• Direct savings: Through leveraging organization-wide purchasing volumes.
• Indirect savings: By enhancing the overall effectiveness of the Procurement function and processes.
• Supplier Management and Collaboration:
• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, negotiating favorable contracts and ensuring compliance with quality standards.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure procurement aligns with customer needs and broader business goals.
• Leadership and Team Development:
• Lead and mentor a high-performing procurement team, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and strategic thinking.
• Drive continuous learning and improvement within procurement staff to enhance individual and organizational capabilities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Business Administration, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• More than 5 years in supplier / customer / user management role within the heavy manufacturing industry (essential)
• More than 10 years in procurement manager position in manufacturing with a proven track record in managing a globalized procurement function (preferred)
• Proven expertise in designing procurement strategies, managing supplier relationships, and achieving cost reductions.
• Proficiency in procurement software, ERP systems, and advanced analytics tools.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills.
• Strong analytical ability with a track record of delivering measurable outcomes using KPIs and scorecards.

Preferred Attributes:

• Multi-year track record in a procurement organization
• Experience with global procurement processes and strategic hedging for raw materials.
• Familiarity with balanced scorecards and leading data-driven continuous improvement initiatives.