Head of Direct Materials Procurement

Head of Direct Materials Procurement About the Role This is a senior leadership role responsible for leading several category teams, developing long-term sourcing strategies, strengthening supplier partnerships, managing commercial risks, and supporting business growth through procurement excellence. The successful candidate will play a key role in building a high-performing regional procurement organization and driving transformation initiatives across the supply chain. Key Responsibilities Lead multiple direct materials procurement teams across diverse sourcing categories. Develop and execute category strategies aligned with business objectives. Drive strategic sourcing, supplier selection, contract negotiation, and supplier performance management. Build long-term partnerships with global and regional suppliers. Identify cost optimization opportunities while ensuring supply continuity and quality. Lead procurement transformation and process improvement initiatives. Collaborate closely with manufacturing, operations, engineering, finance, and business stakeholders. Develop procurement governance, policies, and best practices. Coach and develop procurement leaders and build organizational capability. Requirements Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business or related disciplines. 15+ years of procurement experience, including leadership responsibilities within large multinational organizations. Strong background in direct materials procurement in heavy industrial sectors such as: Chemicals/Energy/Oil & Gas/Mining/Metals/Building Materials/Industrial Manufacturing or other process industries Proven experience leading multiple procurement categories and large cross-functional teams. Strong commercial acumen and supplier negotiation capability. Experience managing regional or global sourcing programs. Excellent stakeholder management and leadership skills. Fluent in English; Mandarin language capability is highly preferred due to frequent collaboration with regional stakeholders.