Purchasing Manager – Raw Materials & Fragrances

SUMMARY:
Purchasing Manager – Raw Materials & Fragrances

POSITION INFO:
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Procurement
-Develop and execute sourcing strategies for raw materials and fragrances aligned with business needs, cost targets, and supply risk mitigation.
-Identify, evaluate, and onboard suppliers in alignment with quality, commercial, and capacity requirements.
-Drive cost-saving initiatives, contract negotiations, and long-term supply agreements.
Supplier Management
-Build and maintain strong relationships with local and international suppliers, including fragrance houses, chemical manufacturers and distribution agents.
-Conduct supplier performance evaluations covering quality, service, lead times, and compliance.
-Resolve supplier-related issues proactively, ensuring continuity and reliability of supply.
Operational Purchasing
-Oversee the end-to-end purchase cycle: requisitioning, purchase orders, confirmations, delivery tracking, and invoice resolution.
-Ensure appropriate stock levels are maintained to meet production plans while optimising working capital.
-Managing and reporting on stock levels and pricing.
-Collaborate closely with Production Planning to align lead times and safety stock levels.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
-Partner with R&D during new product development to source raw materials and fragrances that meet brief, regulatory, cost, and quality requirements.
-Work with Quality Assurance to address non-conformances, COAs, documentation, and supplier audits.
Qualifications
-Bachelor degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, Commerce, or related field (mandatory).
Experience
-Minimum 5+ years managerial experience in Procurement, ideally within FMCG, cosmetics, personal care, or chemical industries.
-Proven experience managing raw materials, chemical components, or fragrance procurement.
-Strong negotiation and supplier management experience.
-Experience working with Syspro or similar ERP systems (Syspro advantageous).
-Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups, analytics).
Skills & Competencies
-Strong understanding of procurement principles and supply chain processes.
-Knowledge of cosmetic/personal care raw materials and fragrance industry.
-Financial and commercial acumen.
Behavioural Competencies
-Strong leadership and people-management capability.
-Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement.
-Analytical, detail-oriented, and structured thinker.
-Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities.
-Problem-solving mindset with proactive decision-making.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
-Material cost savings and year-on-year optimisation.
-Supplier service levels and on-time delivery performance.
-Inventory health: stock availability, reduction of shortages/excess, write-off minimisation.
-Procurement process efficiency and system accuracy.
-Supplier quality and compliance metrics.
-Support to NPD timelines and launches.

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