Sr Manager Direct Procurement

INTRODUCTION:

The Busway business is one of the fast-growing product lines within Low Voltage Power Products, manufacturing sheet-metal fabricated busway enclosures, housings, joints and copper/aluminium bus-bar assemblies for power distribution.

This position is a Strategic Sourcing Buyer for the Busway category who will also act as the Procurement Manager, owning end-to-end procurement for the plant – sheet metal, fabrication, bus-bar/conductor materials, hardware, insulation and packaging.

The role requires deep, hands-on understanding of sheet metal costing (clean-sheet / should-cost), press-shop and fabrication processes (laser cutting, CNC punching/bending, welding, powder coating), and sourcing from vendors in switchgear, busway, panel-building or similar sheet-metal-intensive industries.

The incumbent will design and implement the annual procurement operating plan for the plant, driving cost, quality, delivery and localization targets while managing the local supplier base end-to-end.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. CATEGORY BUYER / PROCUREMENT MANAGER:

• Spend Management: Own the full procurement spend of the plant for sheet metal, fabricated parts, bus-bar/conductor material, hardware and consumables – supplier selection, development and Supplier Qualification (SAM). Manage supplier performance management, spend analytics, needs preparation and Annual Procurement & Purchasing Planning (APOP) for the Busway category. Coordinate effectively with Regional and Global Busway/sheet-metal category teams to formulate and execute category strategies at plant level. Own contract management and procurement risk management, including single/mono-source mitigation.

• Sheet Metal & Part / Component Development: Lead RFQ/RFP issuance, negotiations, PPAP/APQP coordination, pricing agreements and MSA/LTC/QTC coordination with fabrication and sheet-metal suppliers. Drive tooling and capex negotiations for press tools, dies and fixtures with fabrication vendors. Validate supplier quotes using clean-sheet costing / should-cost models for sheet metal (material yield, cycle time, press tonnage, tooling amortization, surface treatment/powder coating cost build-up).

• Cost Reduction / Productivity: Deliver annual cost reduction targets through negotiation preparation, should-cost analysis, external benchmarking, multi-year agreements, change of supplier, Value Engineering/Value Analysis (VAVE) and localization. Identify and implement design-for-sourcing and design-for-manufacturing opportunities in sheet metal parts jointly with Engineering.

• Plant Procurement Management & Supply Continuity: Act as the single point of contact for all plant-level procurement activities, ensuring uninterrupted material flow to the shop floor (line-side feeding, inventory norms, VMI where applicable). Collaborate with the plant Supply Chain team to ensure smooth material flow from suppliers and resolve day-to-day supply escalations. Drive alternate sourcing / change of supplier initiatives to secure supply continuity and avoid single-source or mono-source risk.

• Collaboration with Cross Functions: Partner closely with Plant Operations, Quality and Engineering to improve productivity, quality and on-time delivery for the Busway line.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:

• Proven, hands-on experience in the Busway business or a closely related sheet-metal-intensive electrical/switchgear industry.

• Deep, practical understanding of sheet metal costing and sourcing – clean-sheet costing, press-shop processes, laser cutting, CNC bending, welding, fabrication and powder coating/surface finishing.

• Working knowledge of busway/switchgear components – enclosures, bus-bar assemblies (copper/aluminium), joints, insulation and their supplier base.

• Demonstrated experience acting as a Plant Procurement Manager – owning plant-level supply continuity, vendor management and cross-functional coordination.

• Strong negotiation, project management and cross-functional leadership skills in a matrix, multi-BU environment.

• Entrepreneurial, customer-focused, comfortable challenging status quo and driving change.

• Digitally savvy – keen to apply digital tools to improve procurement efficiency.

• Strong communication skills; fluent in English.

REQUIREMENTS

• B.Tech / B.E. – Mechanical Engineering (Electrical background also considered)

• Minimum 7-12 years of experience in Strategic Sourcing / Procurement, with substantial exposure to the Busway business or a similar sheet-metal-fabrication-intensive industry (switchgear, panel building, enclosures, electrical equipment manufacturing).

• Deep, hands-on understanding of sheet metal costing and sourcing – clean-sheet cost methodology, press shop economics, tooling investment, laser cutting, CNC bending/punching, welding and powder coating.

• Strong knowledge of buy analysis, should-cost/clean-sheet costing and BOM-level cost breakdowns for fabricated and bus-bar/conductor parts.

• Prior experience acting as a Plant Procurement Manager – owning end-to-end plant procurement, supplier management and supply continuity.

• Hands-on experience with rebalancing / localization of critical sheet metal and fabricated parts.

• Experience working in a matrix environment across organizations and functions.

• Strong leadership, negotiation and performance management skills.

• Domain expertise in Busway / Sheet Metal Fabrication and technically sound in cost engineering

Rewards designed for you

Our Total Rewards is our way of saying: We see you and we value you. It’s more than just pay and benefits—it’s a meaningful investment in you. It is designed to help you perform, grow, feel safe, and elevate your potential. The package helps you care for yourself and your family, plan your future, grow your skills and career, collaborate in an inclusive workplace, and contribute to your community. At Schneider Electric, we’re here for what matters most to you. Discover more at our Career Page.

• Country-specific programs and initiatives may be available.

Looking to make an IMPACT with your career?

When you are thinking about joining a new team, culture matters. At Schneider Electric, our values and behaviors are the foundation for creating a great culture to support business success. We believe that our IMPACT values – Inclusion, Mastery, Purpose, Action, Curiosity, Teamwork – starts with us. IMPACT is also your invitation to join Schneider Electric where you can contribute to turning sustainability ambition into actions, no matter what role you play. It is a call to connect your career with the ambition of achieving a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable world. We are looking for IMPACT Makers; exceptional people who turn sustainability ambitions into actions at the intersection of automation, electrification, and digitization. We celebrate IMPACT Makers and believe everyone has the potential to be one. Become an IMPACT Maker with Schneider Electric – apply today!

• €40 billion global revenue

• +9% organic growth

• 150 000+ employees in 100+ countries

You must submit an online application to be considered for any position with us. This position will be posted until filled. Schneider Electric aspires to be the most inclusive and caring company in the world, by providing equitable opportunities to everyone, everywhere, and ensuring all employees feel uniquely valued and safe to contribute their best. We mirror the diversity of the communities in which we operate, and ‘inclusion’ is one of our core values. We believe our differences make us stronger as a company and as individuals and we are committed to championing inclusivity in everything we do. At Schneider Electric, we uphold the highest standards of ethics and compliance, and we believe that trust is a foundational value. Our Trust Charter is our Code of Conduct and demonstrates our commitment to ethics, safety, sustainability, quality and cybersecurity, underpinning every aspect of our business and our willingness to behave and respond respectfully and in good faith to all our stakeholders. You can find out more about our Trust Charter here.

Schneider Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities in the areas of recruiting, hiring, training, transferring, and promoting all qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, color, gender, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic or conduct.