Job Description

DESCRIPTION:

The Global Procurement Director is responsible for the development and execution of the Company’s global direct material sourcing strategy in support of multiple manufacturing facilities across North America, Mexico, and Asia. This executive leadership role oversees a global procurement organization comprised of Category Managers responsible for strategic sourcing and a purchasing organization responsible for operational purchasing execution at manufacturing sites.

The Global Procurement Director is accountable for ensuring continuity of supply, optimizing total cost of ownership, enhancing supplier performance, managing contractual relationships, and cultivating long-term strategic supplier partnerships. In close collaboration with Operations, Supply Chain Planning, Engineering, Quality, Finance, Research & Development, and Product Management, this leader will establish and maintain a resilient and scalable supply base that supports business growth, new product introductions, operational excellence, and long-term strategic objectives.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Procurement Leadership - Provide strategic leadership and direction for a global procurement organization consisting of:

• Global Category Managers are responsible for the strategic sourcing of direct materials.
• Purchasing professionals supporting manufacturing operations across global production facilities.
• Establish procurement objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), and talent development plans aligned with business priorities.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and high performance throughout the procurement organization.

Strategic Category Management - Develop and implement global sourcing strategies for key direct material categories, including:

• Category strategy development and execution
• Global supplier identification, evaluation, and selection
• Supply risk assessment and mitigation
• Total cost optimization
• Market and technology intelligence
• Long-term supplier development and roadmap planning

Supplier Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with key global suppliers.
• Lead executive-level supplier business reviews and governance processes.
• Promote supplier innovation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish strategic partnerships that support future capacity expansion, technology advancement, and business growth objectives.

Commercial Negotiation - Lead complex commercial negotiations, including:

• Long-term supply agreements
• Pricing strategies and cost-reduction initiatives
• Contract terms and conditions
• Capacity reservation and allocation agreements
• Payment terms and working capital initiatives
• Risk-sharing arrangements

Achieve measurable year-over-year cost improvements while safeguarding quality, service, and continuity of supply.

Supply Continuity and Risk Management

• Ensure uninterrupted supply of critical materials required to support global manufacturing operations.
• Develop and maintain business continuity and contingency plans for strategic suppliers.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate supply chain risks, including sole-source dependencies, geopolitical exposure, logistics disruptions, and raw material constraints.
• Lead supplier capacity planning initiatives to support business growth and new product introductions.

Supplier Performance Management - Develop and maintain a comprehensive supplier performance management framework, including:

• On-time delivery performance
• Quality performance (PPM)
• Responsiveness and service levels
• Cost competitiveness
• Capacity and operational performance
• Sustainability and compliance metrics
• Conduct regular supplier performance reviews and oversee corrective and preventive action processes.

Financial and Operational Performance - Drive procurement performance through:

• Cost savings and productivity improvements
• Working capital optimization
• Inventory reduction initiatives
• Supplier lead-time reduction
• Contract compliance and governance
• Procurement KPI measurement and reporting

POSITION/TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field is required.
• MBA or other advanced degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, or supply chain management within a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience managing global procurement and/or category management organizations.
• Demonstrated expertise in managing direct material categories within industrial or manufacturing sectors.
• Proven success negotiating and managing complex global supply agreements.
• Experience supporting multiple manufacturing facilities across diverse geographic regions.
• Strong track record of developing and implementing global sourcing and category management strategies.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 10–15% as business needs require.
• On-site presence required.

Core Competencies

• Global Category Management
• Strategic Sourcing
• Supplier Relationship Management
• Contract Negotiation
• Cost Management
• Supply Risk Management
• Capacity Planning
• Supplier Performance Management
• Leadership and Talent Development
• Executive Communication
• Financial Acumen
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Continuous Improvement

About Knowles

Knowles is a leading manufacturer of specialty electronic components. We design parts that perform unique, critical functions for innovative technologies. Through extreme reliability, custom engineering, and scalable manufacturing, we enable businesses to succeed in the most demanding applications across medtech, defense, and industrial markets.

Our high-performance capacitors, RF and microwave filters, advanced medtech microphones, balanced armature speakers, and miniaturization products enable and enhance the performance of technologies with the power to change, improve, and save lives. Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, Knowles has grown into a global organization with employees spanning 11 countries.