Manager - Materials Management

Role & responsibilities

Main Commodities: (Aluminium Die Casting, Forging, Machining, Steel, Iron castings, turned parts, Plastic etc)

• Lead end-to-end coordination between customers, suppliers, and internal departments for successful execution of new business and new project requirements.
• Act as the single point of contact for project-related material planning, procurement timeline, supplier readiness, and customer.
• Ensure timely RFQ management, commercial negotiations, supplier nomination especially with import suppliers, LOI issuance, and supplier onboarding to meet project timelines.
• Drive APQP-related procurement activities and coordinate with Engineering, Quality, Production, SCM, Finance, and Project teams for seamless project launches.
• Monitor supplier capacity, tooling readiness, localization plans, and development milestones to ensure uninterrupted material availability.
• Conduct regular reviews with suppliers, and cross-functional teams to track project progress, identify risks, implement corrective actions and attend customer PMD reviews.
• Continuous improvement of Q/C/D parameters, identify project and improve at actions.
• Develop sourcing strategies, supplier diversification plans, and cost optimization initiatives aligned with business growth objectives.
• Prepare and present project procurement dashboards, MIS reports, supplier status reports, and management updates for leadership review.
• Support risk management initiatives related to supply chain continuity, supplier performance, commodity fluctuations, and project execution challenges.

Preferred candidate profile

• 14+ years of experience in Materials, Procurement, Supply Chain, or Project Purchasing within Automotive, Auto Components, Engineering, or Manufacturing industries.
• Strong exposure to new project development, new business, and customer-driven procurement activities.
• Proven experience in handling commodities such as Aluminium castings, Iron Castings, Steel Forgings, Turned Parts, Bearings, Oil Seals, Machined Components, and related engineering products.
• Excellent customer-facing experience with OEMs, Tier-1 customers, and large industrial clients.
• Strong expertise in supplier development, part costings, supplier performance management, sourcing strategy, and commercial negotiations.
• Experience coordinating with multiple internal functions including Projects, Engineering, Quality, Production, Finance, and SCM.
• Sound understanding of APQP, project milestones, localization initiatives, supplier capacity planning, and manufacturing processes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency in SAP ERP systems, procurement MIS, project tracking tools, and data-driven decision making.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, leadership, and relationship-building skills with the ability to drive results in a fastpaced project environment.
• Team leader and good interpersonal skills.