Global Sourcing Director - Castings & Forgings


Only candidates with at least five years experience with castings & forgings procurement will be considered. Please do not apply otherwise.
 

COMPANY BACKGROUND
A $3 billion global capital equipment manufacturer is seeking a Global Sourcing Director - Castings & Forgings for all procurement related activities for castings and forgings.
 

RESPONSIBILITIES
The Global Sourcing Director - Castings & Forgings will manage and have direct accountability for all procurement related activities around castings and forgings. He/she will provide management of the castings and forgings category including development of a long term strategy, strategic management of the supply base and on-going cost improvement. The company estimates that the purchase base for the castings and forgings category is $300 million. Ferrous castings (steel and ductile) comprise the greatest percentage of the spend, however, the company also buys a fair amount of non-ferrous castings as well, i.e. aluminum, bronze and aluminum-bronze.
There are approximately 86 plants around the world which source castings and forgings, and the supply base is fairly fragmented with some concentration in Europe and Asia. Within this newly created role, the Global Sourcing Director - Castings & Forgings will be tasked with developing a strategy for the commodity group in order to reduce total cost, reduce the supply base, and improve on-time delivery.
 

Priorities for the Role Include
• Drive and manage the strategy for global supply of castings and forgings to the businesses.
• Identify and drive cost improvement opportunities.
• Drive reduction to the supply base that supports the business while managing risks (financial, political and business) and ensures continuity of supply.
• Manage Global Casting teams to execute on strategy.
• Increase the performance of the supply base in the areas of quality performance, reduction of lead times and reduction in inventory requirements.
• Continue to pursue the company’s strategy of Low Cost Country sourcing, identifying new and existing suppliers in low cost areas where products may be migrated to and sourced.
The senior leadership team is convinced that with the right supply chain leadership and approach, significant improvements and savings can be generated within the castings & forgings category. The development of a centralized global strategy for category management and the utilization of best practices around global sourcing should play a major role in further capitalizing on synergies across operations. A total cost approach is essential, and all candidates should be adept at analyzing value chains, doing make versus buy analysis, and mitigating commodity price variances.
Other initiatives such as VMI, outsourcing, and supplier quality/six-sigma may also be driven by the Global Sourcing Director - Castings & Forgings, if deemed applicable.
The Global Sourcing Director - Castings & Forgings will work closely with the sourcing teams resident at each of the 86 locations as well as the International Purchasing Offices (IPOs) in China, India, Brazil, and Eastern Europe.
There are approximately 35 people who comprise the core sourcing team for Castings & Forgings, including Purchasing Managers, Sourcing Engineers, and Quality Engineers. The Global Sourcing Director - Castings & Forgings must be a content expert in castings & forgings and engender great credibility (both personally and professionally) in order to get full cooperation from the organization and have maximum impact on the bottom line. The Global Sourcing Director - Castings & Forgings will have significant visibility throughout the organization and substantial top-down support in order to establish supply chain management as a competitive advantage for the company.
 

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
At least five years of experience with castings and forgings is essential, preferably in a low volume heavy manufacturing environment.
They are seeking a natural leader who combines sound management and communication skills with leading-edge procurement expertise and a strong technical knowledge of castings and forgings. This person must have at least ten years of hands-on procurement experience at a multi-national company recognized as sophisticated and best-in-class in supply chain management. He/she should have a vision for commodity management that can yield fast results and help take the company to the next level of performance. A progressive view of global sourcing and supply chain management including analyzing the total value chain and determining the total cost of goods purchased is important.
All executives must have a mature and fiscally responsible attitude. This is a highly visible role within the company and this person’s performance is mission critical to the smooth operation and profitability of the business. He/she must be adept at managing cross-functional teams, and moreover, be equally comfortable dealing with a myriad of cultures and personalities. The Global Sourcing Director - Castings & Forgings must be technically astute and understand the key players and different supply chains within the castings and forgings industry, and must be able to overcome any learning curves quickly. All candidates should be comfortable with stretch goals, and be shrewd and aggressive negotiators. Once a contract has been established, it will be this person’s responsibility to communicate the favorable nature of the program to the field in order to gain maximum participation.
 

EDUCATION
A bachelor’s degree is required, and an MBA or other advanced degree is highly desirable.




 

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