Buying Manager SCM

Job Purpose: -

Responsible for end-to-end supply management of assigned direct material categories, ensuring optimal cost, quality, and delivery performance. The role supports category management initiatives in alignment with procurement strategy and business objectives, under the guidance of the Procurement Lead.

Key Job Accountabilities: -

1. Category Procurement Strategy

• Develop and implement procurement strategies for assigned direct material categories.

• Track global and domestic supply market dynamics and emerging trends relevant to the category.

• Assess short-term and medium-term impacts of market changes on sourcing operations.

• Conduct continuous supply market analysis and maintain detailed market intelligence.

• Develop comprehensive supply market profiles for all materials under responsibility.

• Provide strategic inputs for category procurement planning, including: o Vendor landscape o Pricing and cost structures o Contractual frameworks o Lead times o Inventory norms and optimization.

2. Category Management & Buyer Guidance

• Guide and mentor Buyers/Senior Buyers in executing category management activities.

• Conduct category portfolio analysis and classify items as strategic, leverage, bottleneck, or routine.

• Prepare Internal Cost Estimates (ICE) for procurement decisions.

• Consolidate and optimize category-wise spend across the organization.

• Identify and evaluate alternative sourcing options.

• Standardize contract templates and SLAs and obtain requisite approvals.

3. Annual Procurement Planning & Budgeting

• Lead annual demand planning for assigned direct material categories in line with the Annual Business Plan.

• Provide pricing inputs for development of the annual procurement budget.

• Establish a robust basis for pricing through continuous market analysis.

• Review approved budgets and align annual material plans accordingly. • Monitor spend versus budget on an ongoing basis, identify variances, and implement corrective action plans.

4. Strategic Sourcing & Vendor Selection

• Manage sourcing events including vendor identification, technical and commercial negotiations, and final vendor selection.

5. Delivery & Supply Assurance

• Ensure timely delivery of procured direct materials.

• Address and resolve delivery-related issues including delays, shortages, and quality deviations.

6. Performance Monitoring & Controls

• Monitor procurement dashboards to ensure achievement of targeted operational KPIs.

• Track vendor portfolio performance and develop change or improvement proposals when required.

• Review quality reports from site QA teams and initiate immediate corrective actions with vendors for quality issues or rejections.

• In case of rejections, coordinate order reallocations and delivery schedule adjustments with alternate vendors.

7. Vendor Relationship Management

• Build and sustain strong working-level relationships with vendors.

• Engage regularly with suppliers to communicate organizational requirements and understand supplier constraints.

• Implement structured cost reduction and quality improvement initiatives with vendors.

• Monitor, review, and report vendor performance against agreed SLAs.

• Drive vendor base consolidation and structured vendor development programs.

• Ensure adherence to ethical procurement practices in line with corporate values.

8. Technology Enablement

• Leverage SAP optimally to enhance efficiency and cost control across the procure-to-pay process.

• Promote the use of digital tools such as e-auctions and reverse auctions to improve transparency, efficiency, and cost competitiveness.

9. Cross-Functional Coordination

• Ensure real-time visibility of material availability status for plants and sites.

• Liaise with COE teams, plants, and business units for smooth implementation of procurement initiatives.

• Coordinate with taxation authorities (EXIM, Customs, etc.) and support documentation for licenses, Bills of Entry, and compliance.

• Work closely with Trade Finance teams for preparation and management of Letters of Credit (LCs).

10. People Development

• Build and develop a high-performing procurement team with strong category expertise.

• Strengthen commercial and market intelligence capabilities within the team.

• Motivate and mentor Procurement Analysts to take on higher responsibilities.

• Continuously monitor team performance and provide coaching and feedback as required.

Qualifications & Experience Education:

• B.Tech / B.E. Experience:

11 to 14 years of experience in category sourcing and manufacturing environments.

Desirable Qualifications

• Certification from recognized procurement professional bodies.

• Prior experience in a similar operating environment within global or domestic oil & gas, petrochemicals, or large project-based organizations with comparable material requirements.