NPD PROCUREMENT MANAGER
The AZEK Company
Location: Chicago, IL or remote based in the US.
The AZEK Company (www.azekco.com) is a $1.2+ billion, growing, industry-leading manufacturer of beautiful, low-maintenance building products, with a strong commitment to sustainability. Using expertise in materials science, AZEK engineers high-quality, sustainable residential and commercial products designed to replace traditional materials such as wood and metal. In June 2020, we completed a highly successful IPO (NYSE: AZEK). Diversity is celebrated and supported at AZEK, making it a thriving workplace for all.
This position will be located at our corporate headquarters in the West Fulton Market District of Chicago, IL with a hybrid work schedule. We will also consider basing the role remotely in the US requiring regular travel to our Chicago office.
JOB SUMMARY:
We are seeking a dynamic and strategic NPD (New Product Development) Procurement Manager to join our team. This role is pivotal in shaping our procurement strategy for New Product Development, ensuring that our Sourcing strategies align with product innovation goals and drive value throughout the product lifecycle. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional leadership skills, a deep understanding of procurement processes, and a passion for collaborating across teams to bring new products to market successfully.
Essential Functions:
- Develop and implement Procurement strategies specifically tailored to support New Product Development (NPD) initiatives.
- Identify and engage with suppliers to source materials and components that meet quality, cost, and delivery requirements for new products.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and Commodity Managers to ensure alignment with product development timelines and specifications.
- Negotiate contracts and agreements with suppliers to secure favorable terms and mitigate risks.
- Collaborate with R&D, Engineering, Marketing, Product Management, and Production teams to understand product requirements and translate them into effective procurement strategies.
- Facilitate communication between internal teams and suppliers to ensure smooth execution of NPD projects.
- Conduct market research and work with Commodity Managers to identify new suppliers and evaluate market trends to ensure competitive pricing and innovative solutions.
- Stay informed about industry developments and advancements in materials and technologies relevant to NPD.
- Identify potential risks in the supply chain and develop contingency plans to address issues related to supply disruptions or quality concerns.
- Monitor supplier performance and take corrective actions as necessary to address any deviations from agreed-upon standards.
- Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure procurement efficiency and cost-effectiveness in supporting NPD projects.
- Implement cost-saving initiatives while maintaining high standards of quality and delivery.
- Continuously evaluate and improve procurement processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in supporting new product development.
- Lead initiatives to streamline procurement activities and integrate best practices into the NPD procurement process.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Supply Chain, Engineering, Project Management or related field required. MBA desirable.
- Professional Experience: Minimum 7+ years’ experience with Procurement, Supply Chain, or Strategic Sourcing in a multi-site manufacturing environment as well as Project Management experience.
Additional Qualifications:
- Experience in Procurement, Supply Chain, or Sourcing
- Experience implementing Project Management skills is required
- ISM-CPSM and APICs-CPIM desirable. Experience implementing JDE systems a plus.
- Strong technical knowledge of front and back end of systems.
- Proven success researching data utilizing internal and external sources.
- Demonstrated experience identifying and developing procurement tools and reports.
- Comprehension of market dynamics and ability to translate the information into meaningful language.
- Strong Negotiation and Interpersonal Skills
- Advanced Excel and PowerPoint, MS Office Proficiency, MRP, JDE.
- Travel time 25% or more.
Success Measures:
- Sixty (60) – Ninety (90) days:
- Proficient knowledge of categories, spend, and projects for the group
- Understand cost improvement goals, strategy, and objectives for the business
- Meet with key stakeholders and executive leadership
- Identify and manage all NPD projects for the Supply Chain team
- Conduct supplier and plant visits when appropriate
- Attend weekly NPD project meetings
- Six (6) Months:
- Create tracking system for all NPD projects as well as a communication plan
- Develop strategic plan with short-term goals and long-term strategies
- Identify improvement opportunities and process gaps
- Work closely with commodity managers on NPD / category strategy alignment
- Be onsite for internal or external trials when necessary
- One (1) year:
- Competently own the NPD process for the Supply Chain team
- Driving projects cross-functionally to execution and seek future improvements for continuous improvement
- Launch 95% of NPD projects on quality, on cost, and on time
- Communicate all new projects to the Supply Chain stakeholders
- Implement impactful new process improvements for the business
