Procurement

Procurement Specialist – Manufacturing & Supply Chain | San Diego, CA | $108K–$163K

🌟 Exciting Opportunity: Procurement Specialist
📍 Location: San Diego, California, United States
🏢 Office-based (not a remote role)
💼 Industry: Manufacturing & Production | Category: Supply Chain & Materials Management
💰 Base Salary: $108,834 – $163,252
📈 Employment Type: Full-time | Mid-Senior Level
🎓 Minimum Education: Bachelor's Degree
🧳 Travel: Occasional

🚀 Make a Global Impact in Supply Chain

Join a high-performing team as a Procurement Specialist, where you'll directly influence supplier performance and ensure the seamless availability of materials to worldwide production locations. This dynamic role combines strategy and execution — from negotiating contracts to resolving critical supply chain issues — all in a fast-paced environment driven by innovation and customer satisfaction.

🔧 What You’ll Be Doing

  • Manage day-to-day and strategic supplier relationships across the forging and machining supply chain.

  • Lead purchase order processes, demand forecasting, contract negotiations, and risk mitigation.

  • Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including sourcing, planning, engineering, and quality.

  • Drive supplier performance improvements in cost, delivery, and quality.

  • Actively participate in supply chain transformation projects from inception to execution.

  • Support global procurement objectives while ensuring compliance with internal policies.

✅ What You'll Bring

Required:

  • Bachelor’s degree with 5–7 years of purchasing experience
    or
    Master’s degree with 3–5 years of relevant experience.

  • Strong background with ERP systems and Microsoft Office Suite.

  • Fluent in professional Business English, written and verbal.

Preferred:

  • Supply Chain certification (e.g., ASCM, APICS, ISM, or equivalent).

  • Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma (Blackbelt or Greenbelt preferred).

  • Experience with Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) modeling and cost reduction strategies.

  • Strong communication, analytical thinking, and stakeholder influencing skills.

  • Membership in professional procurement associations a plus.

🎁 Perks & Benefits

  • Competitive base salary with room for growth

  • Comprehensive benefits package

  • Dynamic, collaborative work environment

  • Opportunities for professional development

  • Impactful projects with global reach

Ready to take your procurement career to the next level? Apply now and bring your expertise to a team that values innovation, precision, and operational excellence.

 

Category Manager – Subcontracting (Outsourced Manufacturing) | Manufacturing Procurement

Job Title:
Category Manager – Subcontracting (Outsourced Manufacturing)

Location:
Multiple Locations (Hybrid – Office and Remote Work)
Magnolia, AK – Industry, CA – Saint Augustine, FL – Rosemont, IL – Connersville or Elkhart, IN – Delhi, LA – Monett, MO – Sidney, OH – The Dalles, OR – Lancaster County – Mountain Top or Pittsburgh, PA – Yankton, SD – Spanish Fork, UT

Industry:
Manufacturing & Production

Job Category:
Engineering – Industrial / Manufacturing

Job Summary:

The Category Manager – Subcontracting (Outsourced Manufacturing) is responsible for overseeing procurement activities for external vendors providing surface treatment (anodizing, coating) and fabrication services. This position plays a key role within the central procurement team, working closely with internal stakeholders such as supply chain, operations, finance, and sales, as well as business unit and plant procurement teams. The role will have a primary focus on North America while collaborating with teams across multiple business units.

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.

  • Minimum of 5 years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, category management, supply chain, or plant operations (10+ years preferred).

  • Experience managing subcontracting (outsourced manufacturing) categories.

  • Strong project management skills with the ability to lead and participate in cross-functional teams.

  • Proven ability to develop strategic approaches to spend categories and supply bases.

  • Ability to travel up to 30% as required.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • High proficiency in Microsoft Office and video conferencing tools.

  • Experience with Should-Cost Modeling, Total Cost of Ownership, and ROI analysis.

  • Strong analytical skills, including expertise in creating and managing complex spreadsheets.

  • Experience with business operating systems such as Oracle or SAP.

  • Certification(s) such as CPSM, CPSD, or C.P.M. preferred.

Job Responsibilities:

Category Strategy Development and Implementation

  • Define category strategies using supply market intelligence, vendor knowledge, and procurement best practices.

  • Lead procurement category deployment and supplier management to align with business strategies and minimize total cost of ownership (TCO).

  • Prioritize internal production capacity before considering external suppliers, ensuring optimal plant utilization.

  • Collaborate with stakeholders across procurement, supply chain, operations, finance, and sales to drive cost reduction strategies while ensuring vendor compliance with capacity, service levels, and safety requirements.

  • Monitor and enforce compliance with category strategies, taking corrective actions as necessary.

Supplier Relationship Management

  • Lead strategic sourcing initiatives to establish competitive sourcing environments.

  • Conduct fact-based negotiations based on supplier and industry analysis, benchmarks, and cost structures.

  • Establish long-term contractual agreements with strong commercial and legal terms.

  • Implement supplier performance management through Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

  • Develop tools to support plant procurement teams in negotiating with local subcontracting vendors.

Cost Optimization and Process Improvements

  • Act as a leader in managing total cost of ownership (TCO) within the category.

  • Identify and lead initiatives related to specification, demand, and process improvements.

  • Continuously assess internal production versus external sourcing opportunities to optimize cost and capacity.

  • Measure and track category performance to identify opportunities for further efficiencies.

Compensation & Benefits:

  • Base Salary: $140,000 – $150,000 USD

  • Relocation Assistance: Possible for ideal candidate

  • Bonus Eligible: No

  • Overtime Eligible: No

  • Travel Reimbursement: Yes

  • Full Benefits Package

Ideal Candidate Profile:

  • Not a traditional buyer role; requires expertise in outsourced manufacturing and supplier engagement.

  • Strong analytical mindset with experience in change management.

  • Ability to develop and execute supplier strategies while optimizing costs.

  • Travel up to 30% required.

This organization is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourages applications from all qualified candidates.

 

Your new job awaits.