Head of Purchasing Full Time NEW

Job Description: Head of Purchasing (Chennai)

Location: Chennai, India

Function: Procurement / Purchasing

Level: Senior Leadership

Our Client is one global leading European Automotive company.

Job Purpose

The Head of Purchasing is responsible for leading all procurement activities for India operations, ensuring efficient, cost-effective, and risk-controlled sourcing of parts, materials, and services. The role oversees both Direct and Indirect procurement categories within a global purchasing framework, ensuring alignment with program requirements, business strategy, and operational objectives.

This position plays a key role in supplier strategy development, cost optimization, risk management, and project execution, while acting as the key interface between local operations, global procurement functions, and suppliers.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Procurement Leadership

• Lead procurement operations across Direct and Indirect categories within India.
• Ensure operational, strategic, and organizational coordination of all purchasing activities.
• Act as the key interface between local buyers, global category managers, project teams, plant leadership, and suppliers.
• Ensure execution of global sourcing strategies while adapting to local market conditions.
• Guarantee compliance with procurement policies, governance standards, and reporting requirements.

Business Development & Market Intelligence (Pre-Sales Support)

• Support business development activities through early supplier involvement, pre-sales support, and sourcing strategy input.
• Provide market intelligence on supplier capabilities, cost structures, and regional sourcing opportunities.
• Contribute to sourcing tactics that support future programs and business expansion.
• Identify and evaluate new suppliers capable of supporting future project pipelines and business growth.

Supplier Strategy, Panel Development & Risk Management

• Develop and maintain a robust local supplier panel in India for both Direct and Indirect materials.
• Conduct supplier identification, qualification, and risk assessments.
• Implement proactive risk management strategies to ensure supply continuity and resilience.
• Continuously evaluate supplier performance in terms of quality, cost, delivery, and development capability.
• Ensure supplier base alignment with global requirements and project needs.

Negotiation & Cost Optimization

• Lead negotiations with local suppliers to secure optimal Quality / Cost / Delivery / Development (QCD) solutions.
• Define and implement yearly cost reduction roadmaps in alignment with global targets.
• Drive value engineering, cost analysis, and total cost of ownership optimization initiatives.
• Ensure competitive pricing while maintaining quality and supply reliability.

Project & Program Procurement Management

• Lead end-to-end procurement activities for assigned projects from sourcing to SOP (Start of Production).
• Ensure timely delivery of supplier readiness, tooling, and industrialization milestones.
• Track and manage procurement project budgets, timelines, and risks.
• Ensure alignment between engineering, quality, and procurement functions for smooth program execution.
• Monitor project performance against QCD objectives and implement corrective actions when needed.

Supplier Performance & Development

• Manage end-to-end supplier relationships, including onboarding, performance monitoring, and development.
• Drive supplier improvement initiatives in quality, cost competitiveness, and delivery performance.
• Participate in supplier Gemba activities and on-site assessments when required.
• Support capability development of suppliers to meet current and future program needs.

Team Development & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coach and support local procurement team members to strengthen operational capabilities.
• Identify training needs and support development plans in coordination with HR and global stakeholders.
• Foster collaboration across engineering, finance, quality, logistics, and global procurement teams.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment in a multicultural and dynamic environment.

Deliverables & Performance Indicators

• Supplier panel development and coverage (Direct & Indirect categories).
• Annual cost reduction achievement vs. roadmap targets.
• Supplier performance improvement (QCD metrics).
• Project procurement execution (on-time, on-cost, on-quality delivery).
• Risk mitigation effectiveness and supply continuity performance.
• Accuracy and compliance of procurement reporting and savings validation.

Candidate Profile

Must-Have Industry Background

• Mandatory: Experience in automotive OEM or automotive components industry (Tier 1 / Tier 2 suppliers or OEM procurement environment).
• Strong understanding of automotive supply chain, industrial processes, and supplier ecosystems.

Experience

• Minimum 7–15 years of procurement or purchasing experience.
• Proven experience in global or multinational procurement environments preferred.
• Strong exposure to project-based procurement and supplier negotiations.

Core Competencies & Skills

• Strong supplier negotiation and commercial management skills.
• Expertise in procurement strategy, sourcing execution, and supplier development.
• Strong risk management mindset with proactive mitigation capability.
• Ability to build and manage supplier panels across multiple categories.
• Strong project management experience in automotive programs.
• Comfortable working in a multicultural, fast-paced, and dynamic environment.

Technical Skills

• Knowledge of procurement systems, reporting tools, and cost analysis methods.
• Familiarity with automotive sourcing processes and industrial supply chains.
• Understanding of QCD (Quality, Cost, Delivery) frameworks and supplier evaluation systems.

Soft Skills

• Strong leadership and influencing capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• High level of autonomy and accountability.
• Ability to manage complexity and multiple priorities.

Languages

• Fluent English required
• Hindi or regional Indian languages are a plus
• French or Spanish is an advantage

Work Environment

• Dynamic, fast-paced, and globally integrated automotive environment.
• Requires frequent interaction with international teams and suppliers.
• Strong exposure to cross-cultural collaboration and global decision-making processes.