Head of Procurement
Location: San Jose, CA, Grand Rapids, MI, or Minneapolis, MN
Company OverviewFounded in 2007, the Company provides wire harness, cable assembly, box-build, and contract manufacturing services to a diversified customer base across the electric automotive, aerospace and defense, semiconductor, electronics, energy, and industrial equipment industries.In 2021 Auxo Investment Partners acquired a majority stake in the Company from its founder with the intent to build a cable harness assembly company with national scale. Since that initial investment the Company has grown through a mix of organic growth and three recent add-on acquisitions and now operates out of five facilities in the San Jose, Minneapolis, and Grand Rapids areas.
Over the next few years, the Company expects to continue growing rapidly through a mix of organic growth, thanks to its exposure to some of the highest growth segments in an already fast-growing industry, and additional acquisitions in the fragmented, and target-rich cable harness industry.
To pursue this platform strategy, the Company is seeking a Head of Procurement to integrate, improve, and expand the Company’s current procurement processes with the goal of increasing gross margins and driving additional sales growth through a combination of lower material costs, improved supplier reliability, and shorter lead times.
What you will doReporting directly to the CEO, the Head of Procurement will lead the integrated procurement function across the Company. He/she will need to assess and baseline all procurement practices and resources currently in place across the organization. The procurement leader will then be responsible for developing a perspective on key changes needed to integrate and improve the function and execute an action plan to transition to the desired end state. In parallel to the integration process the Head of Procurement will be responsible for day-to-day management of the function ensuring materials are sourced in a timely manner to enable on-time delivery and generally managing the function to ensure a high-level of performance across the department’s key outcome metrics. Finally, the Head of Procurement will help create value by integrating and improving the procurement capabilities of future expected acquisitions.Ultimately the Head of Procurement will be a key enabler for the Company to unlock best-in-class supplier selection and management to generate improved profit margins and enable growth in new sales.
Essential duties and responsibilities will include:
• Manage the procurement function: The Head of Procurement will manage the procurement function across the Company with team-members distributed across various plants.2• Supplier negotiation, selection, and management: Build relationships with suppliers to negotiate contracts, prices, and terms that balance the need to reduce costs with supplier quality and reliability.• Capability building: Create and execute a procurement capability building plan that includes deploying the processes, systems, and capabilities needed to create a well-run function that delivers results.• Acquisition integration: The Company expects to complete additional acquisitions in the coming years. The Head of Procurement will be responsible for evaluating synergy opportunities pre-acquisition and for delivering those opportunities post-acquisition.• Cross-functional collaboration: The procurement function must enable day-to-day operations across a range of the Company’s other functions including sales, engineering and operations. The procurement leader will need to work closely with colleagues across those functions to ensure procurement is not a bottleneck to delivering quality product to customers on time.• Reporting: GSA has data-driven culture that values dependability and accountability. The Head of Procurement will be responsible for regularly preparing and reviewing reports on procurement metrics, savings, and performance for the Board, the CEO, and a variety of internal stakeholders.• Risk Management: The Head of Procurement will also assess potential risks in the supply chain, from geopolitical issues to supplier financial health, and develop mitigation strategies where needed.
What you bringThe ideal candidate for this position will build the Company’s procurement function into a well-run, data-driven department that works closely with other functions to enable day-to-day operations while expanding gross margins, reducing working capital, and improving supply chain reliability.
Candidates should have a strong track-record of developing a best-in-class procurement function with strong process, systems, and capabilities and should have experience managing the supply chain of mid-sized contract manufacturers with sales of $50-500M. The leader will be expected to build an organization that embodies GSA’s culture of initiative, teamwork, dependability, and problem-solving. Desired experience and capabilities include:
• Experience building a procurement function at a middle-market company – Candidates must bring a track-record of building well-run procurement functions at middle-market companies. The Head of Procurement will be expected to implement excellent processes and systems, and develop the people and technological capabilities needed to deliver a high-performing department.• Contract manufacturing procurement experience – Candidates must have experience leading the procurement function at a multi-location contract manufacturing organization. Experience in job-based contract manufacturing and cable harness assembly would be particularly valued but not essential.• Operational integration – Experience driving the integration of multiple procurement teams and processes at different companies is a must. To date, the procurement functions of recent acquisitions have not been integrated and the Head of Procurement will be expected to lead that effort. The Company expects to make additional acquisitions in the coming years and the procurement leader will be an integral part of delivering the value creation plan for those acquisitions. Success executing an acquisition and integration strategy in the context of working with a private equity sponsor will be highly valued. • Procurement platform implementation– A well-run, integrated procurement function will likely require the implementation of a new procurement platform across the Company that enables tight control of suppliers and direct and indirect cost. Experience deploying an integrated procurement platform working closely with distributor and OEM suppliers will be key to success in this role.• Track record of margin expansion – Among other responsibilities the Head of Procurement will be expected to deliver expanded margins by finding ways to procure materials and indirect costs in a more cost-effective manner without compromising quality and reliability. Candidates must bring a track record of successfully achieving expanded margins at prior roles.• Ownership and execution mindset – To be successful, the Head of Procurement needs to be execution-oriented and thrive in a culture of accountability. Achieving the value proposition of the Company is dependent on all members of the leadership team executing at a quick pace, holding their departments accountable, and delivering outcomes.
Other qualifications and requirements for the role include:• 15+ years of supply chain management experience in progressively senior roles leading to procurement leadership experience.• Direct responsibility for the procurement function of manufacturing businesses in the $50 – $500M annual revenue range.• Track-record of successfully growing mutually beneficial supplier relationships.• Excellent strategic leadership and communication skills. Displays passion and optimism with the ability to inspire, motivate, and achieve long term financial results.• Participative leadership style that is team oriented and is able to work cross-functionally and enable day to day operations across functions.• A team builder with reputation for attracting, developing, and mentoring talent, and someone who takes responsibility for subordinates’ activities, provides regular performance feedback, develops subordinates’ skills and encourages growth.• Experience in working with Private Equity groups would be a plus but is not required.• A reputation for conducting business with the highest regard for integrity.
Travel Requirement: 25% – 50%
How to apply
To apply please email your resume to:Eloisa MaldonadoHR Managerhr@gsassembly.com
Full-time
United States
