Job Summary

The Director of Purchasing plays a key strategic and operational role in managing sourcing, procurement, and supply chain functions across multiple manufacturing operations. This leader will oversee a ~$400M annual spend across a global supply chain and will be responsible for building a world-class procurement operation that delivers sustainable cost savings, supplier performance, and supply continuity while supporting growth and cost savings commitments.

The position requires expertise in both direct and indirect procurement, vendor relationship management, and cross-functional collaboration across plant operations, engineering, finance, and the commercial organization. The role will also ensure alignment with ERP strategy (Microsoft Dynamics 365) and contribute to continuous improvement across the enterprise.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and lead sourcing and procurement strategy, aligning site-level procurement with corporate objectives.

Coach, develop, and lead a high-performing team of plant buyers and indirect sourcing professionals; support succession planning and capability building.

Design and implement standardized, scalable purchasing processes that support business continuity and profitability across all sites.

Drive savings and performance in steel sourcing—merchant bar quality (MBQ), hot-rolled coil (HRC), and hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) steel.

Lead indirect procurement initiatives and leverage third-party relationships such as Blackstone Group, Green Cabbage, and Uber Freight.

Manage key supplier relationships with large steel mills including U.S. Steel, Gerdau, Cleveland Cliffs, Commercial Metals, Nucor, and others.

Partner with Finance, Operations, and SIOP teams to create accurate material cost forecasts and inventory plans and manage working capital.

Collaborate with the commercial team to secure large projects while managing material margin risk, potentially hedging physical steel or synthetic derivatives.

Lead supplier performance reviews using scorecards; manage relationships to improve cost, quality, and delivery.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or related field; MBA or professional certifications (CPM, CPIM) preferred.

10+ years of progressive procurement leadership, ideally in the steel or building materials industry.

Experience with steel hedging, CAPEX procurement, and strategic sourcing in a manufacturing setting.

Proven negotiation skills and supplier relationship management experience.

Strong analytical, Excel, and ERP systems skills—preferably Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Exposure to Lean principles and continuous improvement environments.

Excellent communication, leadership, and change management abilities.

Willingness to travel up to 50% to support a national plant footprint.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Material cost per ton / cost reduction initiatives

EBITDA contribution via procurement savings

Inventory turns and net working capital optimization

Forward Weeks Coverage (FWC) management

Supplier performance and scorecard results

ERP procurement process integration and data integrity

Development and retention of procurement talent