Indirect Commodity Manager & Purchasing in Farmington, Connecticut at ebm-papst Inc.

The Indirect Commodity Manager is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies for indirect spend categories to ensure the organization achieves best-in-class cost, quality, service, and supplier performance. This role manages supplier relationships, negotiates contracts, drives cost reduction initiatives, mitigates supply risks, and supports business objectives across multiple functions.

Typical spend categories include:

• MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Operations)
• Facilities and Utilities
• Corporate Services
• Temporary Labor
• IT Hardware and Software
• Telecommunications
• Professional Services
• Travel and Fleet
• Packaging and Freight
• Capital Equipment
• Marketing and Office Supplies

The position works closely with Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, IT, HR, Facilities, Legal, and Finance to optimize total cost of ownership (TCO) and support organizational growth.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Category Management

• Develop and implement sourcing strategies for assigned indirect spend categories.
• Create multi-year category plans aligned with business objectives.
• Analyze spend data to identify consolidation and cost-reduction opportunities.
• Conduct market intelligence and benchmarking activities.
• Develop supplier segmentation and sourcing roadmaps.

Procurement & Contract Management

• Lead RFI, RFQ, and RFP processes.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, service-level agreements, and commercial terms.
• Establish long-term supplier agreements.
• Ensure contract compliance and governance.
• Collaborate with Legal on commercial terms and risk mitigation.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Identify, evaluate, qualify, and onboard suppliers.
• Conduct supplier business reviews and performance assessments.
• Drive supplier development and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage strategic supplier partnerships.

Financial & Cost Management

• Deliver annual cost savings and productivity improvements.
• Conduct total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis.
• Develop budgets and sourcing forecasts.
• Track savings and report procurement performance.
• Support working capital improvement initiatives.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Assess supplier and supply chain risks.
• Develop business continuity and contingency plans.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies and regulatory requirements.
• Support sustainability and ESG initiatives.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner with business leaders to understand requirements and priorities.
• Influence stakeholders regarding sourcing decisions and supplier selection.
• Lead cross-functional sourcing projects.
• Communicate procurement strategies and results to leadership.

Process Improvement

• Standardize procurement processes and best practices.
• Improve supplier performance measurement systems.
• Support digital procurement tools and automation initiatives.
• Drive continuous improvement throughout the source-to-pay process.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Engineering, or related field.
• MBA preferred.

Experience

• 7-10 years of strategic sourcing, commodity management, procurement, or supply chain experience.
• Experience managing multiple indirect spend categories.
• Strong contract negotiation experience.
• Manufacturing or industrial industry experience preferred.