Purchase Head

Industry: D2C Skincare / Beauty & Personal Care

Role Overview

The Purchase Head will lead end-to-end procurement for the D2C skincare brand, ensuring timely availability of raw materials, packaging, and third-party manufacturing services at optimal cost and quality. This role is critical in managing vendor relationships, cost efficiencies, compliance, and scalability as the brand grows.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement & Sourcing

• Develop and execute procurement strategies for raw materials, actives, fragrances, packaging, and contract manufacturing.
• Source and onboard reliable vendors for skincare-grade ingredients and packaging materials.
• Ensure uninterrupted supply to support production and new product launches.

Vendor Management & Negotiation

• Build strong relationships with suppliers, contract manufacturers, and packaging partners.
• Lead commercial negotiations, pricing contracts, MOQs, payment terms, and SLAs.
• Periodically evaluate vendor performance on cost, quality, delivery, and compliance.

Cost Control & Budgeting

• Drive cost optimization without compromising on quality or brand standards.
• Prepare and manage procurement budgets aligned with business forecasts.
• Identify alternate sourcing options to mitigate risks and reduce dependency.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure all materials meet regulatory standards (CDSCO, GMP, ISO, FDA where applicable).
• Work closely with QA/QC teams to maintain ingredient and packaging quality.
• Maintain documentation, COAs, MSDS, and audit readiness.

Inventory & Planning

• Collaborate with supply chain and production teams on demand planning and inventory optimization.
• Monitor stock levels to avoid overstocking or shortages.
• Support SKU expansion and scale-up plans.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with R&D, marketing, operations, and finance teams.
• Support product development with sourcing of innovative ingredients and packaging.
• Align procurement timelines with launch calendars.

Process & Systems

• Implement procurement best practices, SOPs, and vendor scorecards.
• Use ERP/tools for purchase planning, tracking, and reporting.
• Drive continuous improvement and scalability in procurement processes.

Key Requirements

• 8-12 years of experience in procurement/purchase, preferably in skincare, cosmetics, FMCG, or D2C brands.
• Strong knowledge of skincare ingredients, packaging materials, and contract manufacturing.
• Proven experience in vendor negotiations and cost optimization.
• Understanding of regulatory and quality standards in personal care.
• Experience working in fast-paced, high-growth environments.
• Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA / PGDM in Supply Chain, Operations, or Materials Management.
• Experience with D2C or startup ecosystems.
• Exposure to new product development sourcing.