Job Title: Direct Sourcing Lead / Assistant Manager / Manager

Location: Hyderabad
Experience: 8–15 Years

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Direct Sourcing Lead / Assistant Manager / Manager to lead end-to-end sourcing strategies for production materials, components, and supplier partnerships. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, category management, and procurement operations, with a proven ability to deliver cost optimization, supplier performance improvements, and supply continuity.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category sourcing strategies aligned with business demand, quality standards, cost optimization, and operational objectives.

• Lead supplier identification, qualification, onboarding, commercial negotiations, and long-term supplier relationship management.

• Drive negotiations covering pricing, contracts, payment terms, lead times, service levels, and commercial agreements.

• Partner with Planning, Operations, Engineering, Quality, Finance, and other cross-functional teams to align sourcing strategies with business priorities.

• Monitor market trends, commodity pricing, supplier capacity, and supply chain risks to ensure continuity of supply.

• Lead RFx activities, supplier evaluations, bid analysis, and supplier selection processes.

• Establish supplier scorecards, conduct supplier business reviews, and monitor corrective action plans to improve supplier performance.

• Drive cost-saving initiatives, value engineering, working capital improvements, and supply base optimization.

• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, governance standards, contract management processes, and audit requirements.

• Mentor and guide procurement team members while driving standardization of sourcing processes, templates, and reporting.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 8–15 years of experience in Direct Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain, or Category Management.

• Strong experience in supplier negotiations, commercial management, and manufacturing or operations-related sourcing.

• Expertise in strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, and procurement lifecycle management.

• Strong knowledge of contract management, commercial negotiations, and procurement governance.

• Experience in spend analysis, category strategy development, and supplier performance management.

• Proficiency in ERP Procurement Systems (SAP, Oracle, Ariba, or similar) and Microsoft Excel.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and leadership abilities.

• Experience leading teams and driving procurement transformation initiatives.

Educational Qualification

• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business Administration, Operations, or a related discipline.

• MBA or Professional Procurement Certification (CIPS, CPSM, CSCP, etc.) is preferred.

Preferred Skills

• Strategic Sourcing

• Direct Procurement

• Category Management

• Supplier Relationship Management

• Contract Management

• Commercial Negotiation

• Spend Analysis

• Supply Chain Management

• ERP Procurement Systems (SAP/Oracle/Ariba)

• Market Intelligence

• Risk Assessment

• Stakeholder Management

• Reporting & Analytics

• Team Leadership

Key Competencies

• Strategic Thinking

• Leadership & Team Management

• Negotiation Skills

• Analytical Thinking

• Decision Making

• Problem Solving

• Communication Skills

• Relationship Management

• Process Improvement

• Compliance & Governance

Key Success Measures

• Delivery of procurement savings and cost optimization.

• Strong supplier performance and relationship management.

• Continuity of supply with effective risk mitigation.

• Timely sourcing execution and contract compliance.

• Improved sourcing cycle times and operational efficiency.

• High stakeholder satisfaction and business partnership.

• Ex-TCS employees are not eligible to apply.

• PAN Card and Date of Birth (DOB) are mandatory for profile creation.