Position: Head Direct Procurement

Reporting: Head SCM and Procurement

Job Location: Pune

Head of Direct Procurement leads group-wide sourcing and supply assurance for Commercial APIs, Excipients, Key Starting Materials, and primary packaging to enable uninterrupted manufacturing , cost competitiveness and regulatory compliance , while operating within approved governance , quality and risk management frameworks .

Key Responsibilities

1. Group Direct Procurement Strategy & Governance: Define and own the Direct Procurement strategy and establish group-wide policies, sourcing frameworks and governance mechanisms across all manufacturing and R&D; sites.
2. API & Packaging Category Leadership: Provide strategic oversight to API and primary packaging categories, setting category playbooks, long-term sourcing strategies, volume leverage models and contract frameworks aligned to demand plans and manufacturing strategies.
3. Supplier Strategy & Relationship Management: Build and govern strategic supplier partnerships, including key API manufacturers and packaging suppliers. Drive supplier performance management across quality, reliability, compliance, cost and responsiveness, with structured reviews and escalation mechanisms.
4. Cost, Productivity & Working Capital Optimisation: Drive sustainable cost improvement initiatives through strategic sourcing, cost modelling, demand consolidation and commercial negotiations—without compromising quality, supply continuity or regulatory requirements.
5. Integration with Planning, Manufacturing & R&D;: Partner closely with Integrated Planning and Technical Operations functions to align procurement strategies with demand signals, capacity plans, product lifecycle changes,



regulatory compliances and recent product introductions.
6. Quality, Compliance & Risk Oversight: Ensure all direct procurement activities comply with GMP, regulatory expectations and internal quality standards. Oversee supplier qualification, audits, change management and risk mitigation related to material quality or continuity.
7. Organisation & Capability Leadership: Build a strong group direct procurement leadership bench by defining capability standards, strengthening plant and category heads, and institutionalising best practices across organization.

Key Success Metrics

1. Continuity of supply for critical APIs and primary materials
2. Effectiveness of sourcing risk mitigation strategies
3. Sustainable cost and productivity improvements from direct procurement
4. Supplier quality and compliance performance
5. Alignment of procurement plans with demand and manufacturing plans
6. Strength of procurement governance and leadership capability

Qualifications & Experience Education: Bachelor’s / Masters degree in Pharmacy, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related discipline; MBA preferred.

Experience:

1. 15+ years of experience in pharmaceutical procurement or supply chain, with significant exposure to API and primary packaging sourcing.
2. Proven experience leading group-level direct procurement across multiple plants and regulated environments.
3. Strong understanding of API supply markets, pricing dynamics, market dependencies and regulatory risk.
4. Demonstrated capability in strategic sourcing, supplier governance, cost optimisation and crisis management.
5. Leadership maturity to operate at enterprise level, influencing planning, manufacturing, quality and R&D; stakeholders.

📌 Associate Director (Pune)
🏢 Emcure Pharmaceuticals
📍 Pune