Our client, a well-known Mid-South Pharmaceutical Company, is seeking a Director of Purchasing. The Director of Purchasing is responsible for leading the company’s end-to-end procurement strategy within a GMP-regulated pharmaceutical manufacturing environment. This role oversees sourcing, supplier governance, contract negotiations, cost optimization initiatives, and procurement team leadership.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and execute a multi-year procurement strategy aligned with operational and financial objectives
- Lead high-level negotiations for supplier agreements and contracts
- Drive measurable year-over-year cost reductions and margin improvements
- Ensure uninterrupted supply of bottling and blister packaging materials
- Oversee supplier qualification, audits, and compliance in coordination with Quality
- Lead, mentor, and scale the purchasing team
- Establish KPIs for cost savings, supplier performance, and service levels
- Optimize ERP-driven procurement processes (QAD preferred)
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred
- 10+ years of progressive procurement experience in pharmaceutical or GMP manufacturing
- Demonstrated track record of leading contract negotiations and delivering significant cost savings
- Experience managing teams (5+ direct/indirect reports preferred)
- ERP experience; QAD strongly preferred
Must-Haves (Non-Negotiable):
- Pharmaceutical or regulated manufacturing background
- Proven leadership of procurement teams
- Significant contract negotiation ownership
- Commercial management experience
- Demonstrated savings impact ($1M+ annualized preferred)
- ERP-driven manufacturing procurement experience
Strong Preferences:
- QAD ERP experience
- Packaging-heavy procurement background
- Lean/Six Sigma exposure