Director of Procurement

Director of Procurement Rocky River, OH Job Details Full-time 1 day ago Benefits Disability insurance Health insurance Dental insurance 401(k) Vision insurance Qualifications Vendor relationship building Cost management Procurement category management Stakeholder engagement Managerial strategic planning Strategic management Inventory optimization Operational risk management Regulatory compliance 11+ years Microsoft Dynamics 365 Team development Key Performance Indicators Demand forecasting Policy & process development Team management Product portfolio management Vendor relationship management Data interpretation Contracts Global sourcing Procurement contract negotiation Freight Senior level Cross-functional collaboration Demand planning Leadership Implementing cost-saving initiatives Data-driven decision making Regulatory compliance management Stakeholder relationship building Cross-functional communication Supply chain collaboration Stakeholder management Full Job Description The Director of Procurement and Inventory Management leads Earnest's global sourcing and inventory strategy with direct accountability for working capital performance, inventory health, and supply risk management. This role owns the deployment of inventory capital across domestic and international suppliers, ensuring disciplined purchasing aligned with demand, service level commitments, and financial guardrails. The Director is responsible for improving inventory mix, increasing turns, reducing aged and excess stock, and protecting A and B availability without expanding total capital deployed. Strategic Planning and Policy Development Establish formal inventory governance policies including product ranking management, product expansions, and structured excess and obsolete reduction programs aligned with working capital targets. Inventory Management Own inventory turns, aging profile, and capital deployment across product portfolio. Manage disciplined forecasting and replenishment models calibrated to long lead-times for international sourcing and validated demand signals. Cost Optimization Lead structured cost modeling inclusive of tariffs, freight, minimum order quantities, and tooling economics while preserving margin thresholds and working capital efficiency. Supplier Management Develop and maintain diversified overseas and domestic supplier networks, including qualification and performance scorecards for per print and engineered components. Establish redundancy for high-risk or high-volume SKUs. Per Print and Engineered Specials Sourcing (New Section) Develop and execute sourcing strategy for per print and engineered specials, including overseas supplier identification, qualification, and onboarding. Lead print review, manufacturability assessment, tooling evaluation, and margin validation prior to commercial commitment. Monitor lifecycle risk including customer concentration, demand volatility, and exit strategy planning. Technology & Forecasting Discipline Recalibrate ERP replenishment logic and forecasting parameters to reflect actual demand patterns. Establish exception reporting to proactively identify slow movers, run-out risk, and forecast variance. Integrate quote activity and historical sales trends into forward purchasing models. Leadership Expectations Build a disciplined, data-driven procurement culture focused on capital efficiency, accountability, and cross-functional transparency. Challenge legacy purchasing behaviors inconsistent with working capital discipline. First 12 Month Mandate Improve inventory turns while maintaining service level stability. Reduce aged and excess inventory through structured SKU review. Formalize long lead purchasing models tied to validated demand. Build scalable supplier capability for engineered specials.

Stakeholder Collaboration:

Lead cross-functional alignment across Sales, Engineering, Quality, Distribution, Finance, and Technology to ensure procurement decisions are data-driven, commercially sound, and consistent with defined working capital and customer focused service level expectations.

Reporting & Compliance:

Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), prepare reports for leadership and management teams and ensure compliance with company policies, customer policies and industry regulations.

Essential Qualifications & Skills Experience & Education:

Requires 20+ years of direct experience in procurement roles with fastener experience.

Supplier Relationship Building:

Ability to build accountable supplier relationships grounded in performance metrics, transparent cost structures, and mutual commitment to continuous improvements

Strategic Thinking:

Ability to develop and execute long-term procurement strategies.

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills:

Ability to analyze data, identify trends and solve complex problems related to procurement.

Leadership & Team Development:

Proven experience in leading, managing, and building a team on a foundation of trust, communication, and customer first principles.

Negotiation & Contract Management:

Skilled in negotiating and managing contractual agreements.

Market Knowledge:

In-depth understanding of the fastener industry and market dynamics, industry trends and global economic trends.

Technology Proficiency:

Proficiency with Microsoft's Business Dynamics is preferred. Earnest Machine is an Equal Opportunity Employer that offers a full benefits package including healthcare, dental, vision, life and disability insurance as well as 401k program.