Purchase Specialist - Chemicals

About Elchemy

Elchemy is a tech-enabled cross-border specialty chemicals marketplace. Our vision is to become the largest global speciality chemicals distributor focussing on discovery and fulfillment using a tech-first approach. 

Chemicals is an extremely important large and fragmented market with multiple inefficiencies in cross border trade. The global speciality chemicals market is $800bn growing at a CAGR of 5.7%. The industry faces glaring challenges including lack of trust, excessive lead times, quality uncertainty, lack of transparency and tons of operational challenges.

In the past 20 months of the company's operation, we have scaled up our operations serving in more than 32 countries and have active partnerships with more than 100s of customers and suppliers. The company has raised a total of upwards of $7.5mn from marquee investors like InfoEdge Ventures, Prime Venture Partners and from promoters of companies like Vinati Organics, Laxmi Organics, and Coromandel International.

Our highly ambitious team comprises alumni from IITs, IIMs, NITs and have extensive experience of working in startups as well as multinational companies. We want to create a team with A-players and rockstars in all roles. When such a team comes together, no vision seems unachievable, and everyone pushes to deliver outstanding results. 

Roles and Responsibilities

• Establish a robust network of dependable suppliers for a wide range of commodity and specialty chemicals, with a focus on domestic and global  sourcing including China and SEA countries.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with manufacturing and trading companies domestically and globally, ensuring a seamless procurement process mainly in the Personal Care and Flavors and/or Fragrance Industry
• Collaborate closely with the sales and marketing teams to understand their sourcing requirements and provide optimal sourcing opportunities aligned with their goals.
• Negotiate competitive prices, contracts, and favorable payment terms for both spot and recurring business while maintaining quality standards.
• Identify and establish partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to streamline procurement operations, fostering enduring relationships through regular and efficient communication.
• Prioritise quick turnaround times for obtaining competitive rate quotations and ensure rapid responses to sourcing requests, expediting decision-making.
• Stay at the forefront of industry trends and developments, gathering and analysing market intelligence to seize strategic opportunities.
• Maintain an up-to-date market intelligence database with the latest supplier information.

Skills and Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in chemical sourcing, preferably within a trading/distribution setup. 
• Strong sourcing experience of chemical raw material required in the Personal Care Industry and/or Flavors and Fragrance Industry..
• A postgraduate degree in management or a related field is a valuable asset.
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills.
• Action-oriented with a willingness to be hands-on in sourcing operations.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, strong business acumen, and an extensive professional network.
• Commitment to the mission with a sense of ownership and passion.