Procurement Manager

The Opportunity
Do you want to shape the future of our procurement department by driving strategic innovation and fostering a culture of ownership? Join Schunk Carbon Technology as our Procurement Manager! In this dynamic role, you’ll transform Procurement from a transactional cost center into a competitive advantage by managing the entire sourcing, negotiation, and supplier relationship lifecycle. Be a driving force in our success story!

The Company

Schunk Carbon Technology is a manufacturer of electrical assemblies and components used in a wide variety of electrical and mechanical applications. We are in Menomonee Falls and have over 95 employees. Although we operate independently, we are part of the Schunk Group, a worldwide, privately held company headquartered in Germany, with over 1.8 billion in sales annually and diverse operations in 26 different countries.

Key Responsibilities

Procurement Strategy & Planning

Develop, implement, and maintain both long term and short-term procurement strategies.
Monitoring purchasing patterns and key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify cost-saving opportunities.
Identify opportunities for cost reduction, operational efficiency, and process improvement.
Ensure procurement initiatives align with organizational priorities and business objectives.
Conduct market intelligence research to stay ahead of industry trends, pricing shifts, and potential risks.

Supplier & Contract Management

Evaluate, select, and manage suppliers based on quality, reliability, performance, and cost.
Negotiate contracts, pricing structures, terms, and service level agreements to support company goals.
Build and maintain strong, collaborative supplier relationships and ensure alignment with SRM (Supplier Relationship Management) practices.
Ensure supplier compliance with ISO standards, governmental regulations, and internal purchasing policies.

Inventory & Supply Chain Management

Monitor inventory levels to ensure product availability while minimizing carrying costs, optimizing our net working capital.
Forecast material requirements and work with suppliers, production, and logistics to prevent shortages or delays.
Oversee all aspects of international incoming freight operations, ensuring compliance with customs regulations and timely clearance of shipments.
Manage relationships with logistics and warehousing partners and implement controls to prevent inventory loss.

Risk Management

Develop contingency plans for supply chain disruptions, tariff impacts, and material shortages.
Ensure strong processes exist for contract management, supplier performance, and compliance.

Budgeting & Cost Control

Develop and manage the procurement department budget and track all procurement expenditures.
Analyze spend trends, identify cost saving opportunities, and drive total cost reduction initiatives.
Maintain supplier scorecards and performance metrics to support continuous improvement.

Team Leadership & Development

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of procurement professionals and buyers.
Set team goals, KPIs, and performance expectations; provide coaching and feedback.
Foster a high performance, collaborative, and continuously improving team culture.
Build training programs to keep the team current on procurement best practices and market trends.

Cross Functional Collaboration

Work with Production, Engineering, Finance, Quality, Sales and other departments to align procurement activities with operational and budgetary requirements.
Extend the interaction with the centralized shared services of Schunk group.
Ensure that procurement supports production schedules and aligns with internal process requirements.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or related field: at least 5 years of strategic level experience in a procurement management role.
Experience with import operations and supply chain management.

Skills & Competencies

Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills; ability to interpret complex data.
Result-focused leader with high achievement rate.
Excellent communication and negotiation skills for vendor management.
Understanding of manufacturing processes, materials, and key commodities.
Proficiency in Excel, ERP systems, and CRM platforms. SAP is a plus.
Strong leadership, communication, and relationship‑building skills.

Benefits and Total Compensation

The company offers a competitive employment package that includes:

Three formal bonus programs
Generous PTO plan and paid holidays
401(k) plan – 3% of salary company-provided contribution that is paid bi-weekly to your account and 100% vested immediately
Health, Dental & Vision Insurance and Flex Spending Account Program
Company-Paid Benefits including Short and Long-Term Disability, Life/AD&D Insurance for you and every family member

Schunk of North America Inc

Latest Openings

Procurement Manager