 Undertake strategic sourcing, category management and inventory control across different business units to ensure optimal cost and continuity of supply and services. Oversee supplier selection and performance management thereby ensuring alignment to business goals. Prepare reports on suppliers, market trends, and spend information across different categories. Negotiate contractual terms and conditions, pricing, service levels, and execute agreements with established control processes to ensure delivery and execution on contracts is in alignment with business requirements. Conduct supply chain risk analysis, identify risks and roadblocks, and drives action internally and/or externally to resolve and/or escalate, as appropriate. Supervise, guide, and train direct reports to make supply chain team performance-driven and result-oriented.

 Managed day-to-day purchasing activities, identified cost reduction opportunities, and worked closely with suppliers and internal stakeholders to drive cost competitiveness. Managed contract and price negotiation activities for multiple categories cross-functionally ensuring that both price and capacity needs are met in alignment with business goals. Set up the process of inventory management and control using ABC Analysis and Peter Kraljic Portfolio Matrix and reduced cost of inventory on shelf by 10-15%. Performed demand forecasting and aligned with production, sales, finance, and vendors to implement long-term procurement strategies to support organization’s growth and goals. Supplier management: contract management, introduced KPIs and supplier scorecard to measure, control, and benchmark procurement processes; created recurring metric reports to drive improvements and corrective actions and undertook continuous performance improvement efforts by sharing insights with key stakeholders.

 Issued RFQs and RFPs, handled vendor evaluation, negotiations, and finalization as Lead Purchaser. Executed inventory planning and replenishment through MRP on a regular basis by using SAGE 300 ERP system and ensured that inventory levels are maintained using MIN/MAX parameters. Team up with vendors, logistics, warehouse & distribution to co-ordinate flow of goods through the supply chain network, thereby ensuring inventory and freight optimization. Updated and corrected part number, item description, cost, MOQ and average lead-time for over 1000 items in ERP system.

 Undertook strategic sourcing of products and service parts for customers upon cross-functional collaboration with vendors, sales, service, and operations departments. Ensured timely receipt and accurate processing of supplier documents by validating costs, quantities, part number/descriptions on packing slips and invoices. Created incident tickets for issue resolution and ensured the tickets are raised and addressed within agreed time frames; provided status updates to stakeholders, thereby creating exceptional experiences for customers.

 Performed contract management, negotiations, and supplier selection to ensure company receives the best overall value by securing best possible price and service guarantees. Created short-term and long-term purchasing strategy upon teaming up with suppliers and company’s senior management to achieve organization’s objectives. Oversaw supplier relationship management - built trust and effectively resolved issues regarding performance, timelines, product quality, delivery, commitments, and invoice payments. Generated equivalent of Canadian $45,000 for the organization by selling scrap material to scrap dealers (for RIL DCU project), hitherto disposed of at the organization’s cost. Provided leadership, coaching, training, and support to direct reports thereby ensuring development of a performance-oriented team.

 Issued RFQs, RFPs, evaluated vendors’ techno-commercial offers, prepared bid evaluation sheets and participated in negotiations and vendor finalization with the Procurement Manager. Created purchase orders, maintained purchasing reports, and updated price lists. Resolved vendors’ payment issues by collaborating with Accounts Payable, suppliers and various other internal teams.