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Manager - Direct Sourcing

Job Description

About the Position

At Kohler India Technical Center, we are a dedicated global capability center providing comprehensive technical and non-technical services for all Kohler Co. businesses and product lines worldwide.

We are seeking a dynamic, seasoned Indirect Sourcing Manager to lead global procurement initiatives across corporate categories. The ideal candidate will bring strong people leadership experience, deep domain expertise in direct procurement, categories / commodities and a proven track record of managing centralized or global sourcing operations (GCC/GIC/Capability Centers).

Key Responsibilities

- Leadership & People Management

- Lead and develop a high‑performing sourcing team; ensure capability building, career development, and succession planning.





- Provide strategic directions on sourcing processes, contracts, governance, and operational excellence.

- Build a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement within the team.

- Strategic Sourcing & New Product Development

- Lead end‑to‑end sourcing activities for Current Product Development (NPD) across multiple categories and commodities, from concept to launch.

- Drive early sourcing engagement to support design‑to‑cost, supplier selection, and supply continuity for NPD programs across identified geographies.

- Develop and execute NPD‑aligned category strategies to enable innovation, cost competitiveness, risk mitigation, and scalability aligned with global business objectives

- Contracting & Supplier Management

- Define and execute NPD‑focused contracting strategies, including design and development agreements, tooling contracts, and SLAs supporting new product launches.

- Ensure contracts enable speed‑to‑market, IP protection, commercial flexibility, and compliance with procurement and engineering governance.

- Build and nurture strategic supplier partnerships to support innovation, technical capability development, and long‑term NPD roadmap.

- Savings & Value Creation Projects

- Deliver cost and value targets for NPD programs through design‑to‑cost, should‑costing, and early sourcing interventions.

- Identify and execute value creation initiatives such as supplier co‑development, global sourcing leverage, localization, and platform strategies.

- Utilize competitive bidding, RFQs,



and eSourcing events to optimize cost, lead time, and supplier capability during NPD phases, Gate Exits.

- Stakeholder Management & Communication

- Engage Global Sourcing, Project Management and Engineering leadership and stakeholders to enable aligned decision‑making.

- Present sourcing strategies, milestones status, gate exit updates and analytical insights to the executive leadership, whenever required.

- Develop, maintain, and enhance relations with the stakeholders.

- Understand business requirements, ensure alignment with category strategy and exhibit superior customer service skills.

- Forecast growth opportunities, prepare roadmaps, and build capabilities for future readiness

- Capability Building & Continuous Improvement

- Develop and enhance sourcing capabilities for the global teams.

- Leverage analytics and automation to improve sourcing efficiency.

Required Qualifications & Skills

- Education

- Bachelor’s degree (Engineering preferred).
- Post‑graduate qualification in Supply Chain / Operations / Business (preferred).

- Experience

- 6+ years of People Management experience.
- Solid experience of 12+ years in Direct Sourcing (preferably NPDs) in global environments.
- Experience managing sourcing for GCC/GIC or Central Procurement Hubs.

- Technical & Functional Competencies

- Expertise in strategic sourcing, contracting, and supplier governance.
- Knowledge of analytics, eSourcing tools, SAP/JAGGAER/Ariba.
- Ability to create data‑driven procurement strategies.

- Behavioral & Leadership Competencies

- Excellent communication & presentation skills.
- Strong business acumen and problem‑solving mindset.
- Ability to manage multicultural teams globally.

Mandatory Skills

Vendor Development, New Product Development, People Management Skills, Project Management

Location

Pune, Maharashtra, India

Experience

12 to 14 years

📌 Manager - Direct Sourcing (Pune)
🏢 Kohler India
📍 Pune