Vice President, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management

The Vice President of Purchasing and Supply Chain Management is a key executive leader responsible for developing and executing the procurement and supply chain strategy to support the design, fabrication, and assembly of custom trailers, branded displays, and specialty vehicles. This position balances high-level strategic leadership with daily operational oversight, ensuring optimal sourcing, supplier performance, material availability, and logistics execution. The VP plays a critical role in enabling timely, cost-effective, and quality-driven project delivery for engineered-to-order programs.

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Impact:

• Define and lead the end-to-end supply chain and procurement strategy, aligned with the company's operational and customer delivery goals.
• Proactively identify and address upstream inefficiencies in procurement, planning, and supplier coordination to streamline lead times and reduce rework or delays.
• Align procurement strategy with engineering, production, and project management teams to ensure seamless execution of custom builds.

Procurement & Category Management:

• Direct all sourcing and procurement activities for fabricated components, raw materials (steel, aluminum, composites), interior finishes, lighting, electronics, HVAC, mechanical systems, and subcontracted services.
• Lead category and commodity team oversight to ensure alignment with project specifications, cost targets, and delivery timelines.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with suppliers and subcontractors, focusing on total cost of ownership, quality, lead time, and flexibility.

Supply Chain & Logistics:

• Oversee all inbound and outbound logistics, warehousing, materials management, and inventory control.
• Implement just-in-time (JIT) and vendor-managed inventory (VMI) practices where applicable to support lean manufacturing and reduce on-site material congestion.
• Optimize transport strategies for large, specialized components and finished units, ensuring regulatory compliance and cost control.

Operational Excellence:

• Provide hands-on leadership in day-to-day operations, including issue resolution, supplier expediting, and project coordination.
• Develop and enforce standardized procurement processes, RFQ systems, and supplier performance metrics (quality, OTIF, responsiveness).
• Implement and optimize ERP/MRP systems for real-time visibility into procurement and material status.

Team Development & Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Build and mentor a high-performing team across purchasing, sourcing, logistics, shipping/receiving, and materials management.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, production, estimating, and finance to align purchasing activity with product requirements and budgets.

Risk Management & Compliance:

• Assess supply chain risks, including single-source dependencies and volatile commodity pricing; develop contingency and dual-sourcing strategies.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, environmental, and safety standards relevant to materials and vehicle integration.
• Support initiatives for sustainable sourcing and ethical supplier practices.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, or related field
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in supply chain and procurement within a manufacturing environment.
• 10+ years of direct leadership experience in Supply Chain Management.
• Strong negotiation, vendor management, and contract development skills.
• Proficient with ERP systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Must function well in a fast-paced, time-sensitive and demanding environment.
• Advanced managerial maturity and servant leadership skills.
• Ability to quickly learn about the project or product being developed.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Excel in addressing challenges and opportunities associated with custom manufacturing and defense work.
• Must demonstrate a consistent and stable work history, along with strong verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or advanced degree.
• Prior work experience with aerospace and/or defense manufacturing.
• Certification in procurement or supply chain management (e.g., CSCP, CPSM).

Physical Requirements

• Sitting, standing and walking in office, warehouse and manufacturing environments.
• Ability to bend, lift, and position self to move about the office, as needed.
• Occasional lifting and moving of up to 50 pounds may be required.
• Required use of fingers and hands to operate a computer.
• Vision abilities required by this job include close and/or color vision, and ability to adjust focus.
• Must have the ability to hear and respond to auditory signals, distinguish tones and pitches in equipment, and use hearing protection during specific tasks.

Current Openings for Vice President, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management Jobs at Craftsmen Industries