Indirect Procurement Manager

General Summary

The Global Indirect Procurement Manager is responsible for executing the global indirect category management strategy across the organization. This role ensures that indirect procurement activity flows through approved procurement channels and is aligned with defined category strategies for both strategic and non-strategic spend.

The role is accountable for procurement daily operation, supplier selection, commercial terms, cost and value optimization, and supplier performance across the indirect category portfolio.

This role operates as a player-coach, directly leading sourcing, negotiation, and supplier management activities for key categories and suppliers, while supporting and guiding others involved in indirect procurement execution.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement Strategy Deployment and Execution

• Personally lead sourcing events, supplier negotiations, and contract development for key indirect categories and high-impact spend areas.
• Execute the global indirect category management strategy across the organization, translating executive-defined procurement strategy into category plans, sourcing actions, and supplier decisions within the indirect category portfolio.
• Develop and execute category-level sourcing plans, including leading sourcing events, supplier selection, and contract negotiations within the indirect category portfolio.
• Ensure indirect procurement activity flows through approved procurement channels, including catalogs, PunchOut, P-Card, and governed business-led procurement pathways, consistent with defined policies and decision rights.
• Monitor supply market conditions, pricing trends, and supplier developments within indirect categories, identifying opportunities to improve cost, value, service, and supply continuity.

Drive Success

• Act as the primary procurement lead on key initiatives and projects involving indirect spend, directly supporting sourcing, supplier selection, and commercial decision-making.
• Partner with stakeholders across functions to understand business requirements, upcoming demand, and operational needs within indirect categories, ensuring sourcing activities are aligned to timing, service expectations, and business priorities.
• Lead and execute sourcing and negotiation activities for assigned indirect categories, directly engaging suppliers and driving commercial outcomes.
• Support cross-functional initiatives, including product development, plant operations, and business services, by ensuring indirect suppliers and commercial arrangements are aligned to project and operational requirements.
• Drive cost and value optimization within the indirect category portfolio through disciplined sourcing, supplier engagement, demand challenge where appropriate, and commercial rigor.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary relationship owner for key strategic and critical indirect suppliers, maintaining direct engagement and accountability for performance and commercial outcomes.
• Own supplier relationships within the indirect category portfolio, ensuring appropriate supplier engagement, commercial discipline, and alignment to Michelman’s business requirements and procurement standards.
• Execute the supplier relationship management framework within the indirect category portfolio, applying supplier segmentation, engagement expectations, and performance review practices consistently across assigned suppliers.
• Lead and participate directly in supplier business reviews, performance discussions, and issue resolution with key suppliers.
• Develop and maintain productive supplier relationships that support cost and value optimization, service reliability, and long-term category effectiveness.
• Escalate supplier issues, relationship concerns, or performance risks in accordance with established frameworks and decision protocols.

Supplier Risk & Performance Management

• Actively participate in supplier performance management activities, including performance reviews, remediation planning, and follow-up actions for assigned indirect suppliers.
• Ensure the supplier risk and performance framework is consistently applied across the indirect category portfolio.
• Ensure indirect suppliers are managed in accordance with defined qualification, segmentation, performance measurement, and remediation processes.
• Monitor supplier performance and directly engage in addressing performance issues, and escalate when structured intervention is required.
• Support supplier audits, corrective action plans, and remediation efforts for indirect suppliers, ensuring follow-through and sustained performance improvement where required.
• Balance supplier decisions across cost, service, and risk considerations, operating within the defined supplier risk and performance framework and escalating issues that exceed established thresholds.

Procurement Operations and Process Execution

• Support effective execution of indirect procurement operations across approved buying channels, including catalogs, PunchOut, P-Card, purchase orders, and business-led procurement pathways.
• Ensure indirect spend is managed in line with procurement policies, approval limits, sourcing thresholds, preferred suppliers, and defined buying channels.
• Partner with Procurement Excellence Manager to enable effective workflows, catalogs, supplier setup, buying guides, system controls, and procurement data required for efficient execution.
• Drive consistent adoption of standard procurement processes across sites and functions, reducing maverick spend and improving channel compliance.
• Support resolution of operational procurement issues, including supplier setup, purchase order delays, catalog or pricing errors, invoice discrepancies, and process non-compliance.
• Monitor key operational performance indicators such as channel compliance, PO cycle time, catalog usage, supplier onboarding, maverick spend, and stakeholder service levels.
• Identify recurring process gaps and work with Procurement Excellence Manager and stakeholders to implement improvements.

High-Performing Procurement Organization

• Provide guidance and informal coaching to site-based procurement resources or buyers supporting indirect procurement activities, ensuring alignment with category strategies, procurement policies, and best practices.
• Partner with Procurement Excellence to ensure procurement channels, processes, and supporting data enable effective execution of the indirect category strategy.
• Maintain visibility into indirect spend, supplier performance, and sourcing activity, using data and market intelligence to support decision-making and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support compliance with procurement policies, approved channels, and supplier master data standards within the indirect category portfolio.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of category processes, sourcing practices, and stakeholder engagement models to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and business satisfaction.
• Support development of a disciplined, professional procurement culture through collaboration, process consistency, and strong execution within the indirect category portfolio.

Critical Competencies

• Hands-On Execution and Ownership - Demonstrated ability to directly lead sourcing, negotiation, and supplier management activities, delivering results through personal execution as well as coordination.
• Category Management and Commercial Acumen - Demonstrated ability to manage indirect categories, including supplier selection, negotiation, and commercial terms, with a focus on cost and value optimization.
• Procurement Execution Discipline - Ability to execute defined category strategies and ensure procurement activities align with approved channels, policies, and decision rights.
• Supplier Relationship Management - Capability to manage supplier relationships effectively, including performance monitoring, issue resolution, and engagement aligned with defined SRM frameworks.
• Procurement Operations and P2P Knowledge - Strong understanding of day-to-day procurement operations, including requisition-to-purchase order processes, supplier setup, catalogs, PunchOut, P-Card, invoice issue resolution, and approved buying channels.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration - Ability to work effectively across functions while driving execution, not just alignment, in support of procurement and business objectives.
• Analytical and Data-Driven Decision Making - Ability to analyze spend data, supplier performance, and market trends to inform sourcing decisions and identify opportunities for cost and value improvement.
• Risk Awareness and Judgment - Understanding of supplier risk factors and ability to apply defined risk frameworks in supplier selection and ongoing supplier management decisions.
• Process and Continuous Improvement Orientation - Ability to operate within structured procurement processes, identify inefficiencies, and contribute to improvements in category management, sourcing practices, and procurement operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Chemistry, Business, or a related field required.
• 7–10+ years of experience in procurement, sourcing, or supply chain within a global manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience directly leading sourcing events, negotiations, and supplier engagements, with a track record of delivering measurable cost and value outcomes.
• Experience driving cost and value optimization through sourcing, supplier engagement, and commercial discipline.
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally with stakeholders across Supply Chain, Operations, R&D, and Commercial teams.
• Experience operating within structured procurement environments, including familiarity with procurement channels, policies, and standard processes.
• Working knowledge of supplier performance and risk considerations, with the ability to partner effectively with supplier risk and performance functions.
• Experience with procurement systems and tools, including ERP platforms, spend analytics, and supplier data management.
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to interpret data and translate insights into actionable sourcing decisions.

Work Hours

Michelman’s standard work hours for this role are Monday – Friday from 8 am – 5 pm EST but this is responsible for global operations the ability to support global teams will require the associate to work outside of these normal working hours from time to time.

Note: The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to the job. They are not construed to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.

About Michelman

Michelman is proud of the values-focused work environment that we have crafted. We pride ourselves in our focus on our values of integrity, respect, and success. With our dedication to your technical and professional growth in addition to our rigorous onboarding experience, we guarantee that you will find yourself challenged in new ways. We offer an excellent salary, incentive, and benefits package in a dynamic, empowered team environment.

No phone calls, please. Michelman does not hire individuals who use tobacco products. All candidates will receive a drug test prior to beginning employment which will include a test for tobacco products.

For more information about Michelman, please visit https://www.michelman.com

It is Michelman, Inc. policy to seek and employ qualified persons in all jobs in a manner which will ensure equal employment opportunity as well as administer personnel actions in a manner as to not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation or disability. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Michelman is an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Females/Disabled/Veterans