Procurement Manager

Job overview and responsibility

About the Role

The Manager / Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing (China) serves as the in-region market intelligence and supplier discovery arm of Group Procurement. You will scan the Chinese supplier landscape to identify, qualify, and develop suppliers capable of meeting the technical and commercial requirements of Business Areas across the Group.

This is an activity-based role - you will be deployed on defined sourcing engagements approved by the Head of China Sourcing, rather than acting as a continuous demand channel. You will work closely with the Category

Managers in Singapore, Head of Ops Procurement in Business Areas or their delegates, and quality/engineering counterparts to translate technical specifications into supplier selection outcomes, deliver measurable cost savings,

and strengthen the Group’s resilience through in-region supply capability.

You are the ground-truth voice on Chinese supplier capability, competitiveness, and commercial conduct. Your bilingual (Mandarin and English) fluency and cultural fluency make you the trusted bridge between Chinese suppliers and Singapore-based stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Continuously scan the China supplier landscape across mechanical, electronics, electro-mechanical, sub-systems and industrial commodity categories - tracking capability, capacity, pricing, and technology trends.

• Provide structured market briefings to Group Procurement leadership and Business Area stakeholders.

• Monitor supplier consolidation, tariff and export-control developments, and shifts in regional manufacturing capacity.

• Identify and pre-qualify Chinese suppliers that meet both technical specifications and commercial requirements.

• Conduct on-site supplier assessments and facility audits, including manufacturing capability, quality systems, certifications (ISO 9001, AS9100 where applicable), and delivery performance.

• Build and maintain a qualified supplier database accessible to Group Procurement and Business Areas.

• Assess supplier financial health, ownership structure, and export/sanctions exposure before qualification.

• Manage a portfolio of assigned categories concurrently, with priorities set by Group Procurement and requesting stakeholders.

• Lead competitive tenders (RFI/RFQ/RFP) with Chinese suppliers — including bid analysis, should-cost modelling, and negotiation strategy.

• Support the negotiation on commercial terms, pricing, payment conditions, tooling, and warranty provisions.

• Deliver measurable cost savings and total-cost-of-ownership improvements aligned with Group Procurement targets.

• Serve as the primary China sourcing interface for the Group Procurement and Singapore Business Areas.

• Translate technical requirements from engineering and quality counterparts into supplier selection criteria.

• Present sourcing recommendations, savings pipelines, and supplier development progress to Group Procurement leadership.

• Act as the cultural and language bridge between Chinese suppliers and Singapore-based teams - both formally and informally.

• Operate within Group Procurement governance framework - Head of China Sourcing approval required before each engagement.

• Support supplier ESG assessments consistent with Group sustainability standards.

• Report engagement pipeline, savings realized, supplier development progress, and compliance status on a defined cadence.

Required skills and experiences

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, or related discipline).

• Experience — 8 to 10 years of strategic sourcing or procurement experience in multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in China.

• Category expertise — Proven track record in mechanical and electronics commodity sourcing (e.g., precision machining, castings/forgings, PCBA/EMS, electronic components, sub-systems).

• Supplier network — Deep familiarity with the Chinese supplier ecosystem across tier-1, tier-2 and tier 3 manufacturing regions.

• Language — Native or business-level Mandarin AND fluent professional English (bilingual, verbal and written).

• Savings delivery — Demonstrated cost reduction outcomes through structured sourcing methodology (should-cost, competitive bidding, TCO analysis).

• Audits — Direct experience conducting supplier audits and technical qualifications.

• Cross-cultural — Comfortable working across multiple time zones and cultural contexts, particularly Singapore–China interface.

• Willing to travel - Regular travel across Chinese manufacturing regions; occasional travel to Singapore

Preferred skills and experiences

• Industry — Aerospace, industrial manufacturing, or electronics OEM background.

• Quality standards — Working knowledge of aerospace or equivalent quality standards (AS9100, NADCAP, ISO 9001).

• Certifications — MBA, CIPS, CPSM, or equivalent advanced procurement credential.