Strategic Sourcing & Vendor Development Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION

Strategic Sourcing Vendor Development Manager

Job Title

Strategic Sourcing Vendor Development Lead- Furniture Category

Categories

Finished Furniture Raw material (Sofas, Recliners, Upholstery); Upholstery Materials (Fabric, Leatherite)

Department

Procurement / Supply Chain Management

Reports To

Head of Sourcing

Location

Bengaluru (Head Office)

Experience

10 12 years

The Strategic Sourcing Vendor Development Lead is a pivotal,techno-commercial role responsible for establishing and executing best-in-classsourcing strategies for high-value Finished Furniture (sofas, recliners andupholstery) and core Upholstery Materials (fabric and leatherite).

The role will drive significant cost reduction, mitigate global supplychain risk, and ensure a continuous, high-quality and innovative supply base.It will identify, qualify and develop an agile, long-term ecosystem of domesticand international vendors, aligned with the company's Total Cost of Ownership(TCO) and product innovation goals, with a focus on regional sourcing fromhigh-quality suppliers that offer backward integration and product developmentas core competencies.

1. Global Sourcing Strategy Cost Leadership

International sourcing: Develop andexecute comprehensive sourcing strategies for finished goods and corematerials, with emphasis on international sourcing to optimise TCO and build asustainable competitive advantage.

Techno-commercial expertise: Apply a deepunderstanding of engineering processes, raw material commodities, and furnitureand upholstery manufacturing to inform sourcing decisions.

Source-to-Contract: Lead the end-to-endlifecycle, including preparation and management of RFIs, RFQs and RFPs, and theanalysis and presentation of supplier proposals.

Negotiation: Negotiate complex contracts,pricing structures, payment terms and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to securesuperior commercial terms without compromising quality or service.

Performance reporting: Track, analyse andreport on key procurement KPIs to ensure consistent achievement of cost-savingstargets.

2. Strategic Vendor Development Partnership Management

Supply base expansion: Identify, qualifyand onboard high-potential domestic and global vendors, particularly inemerging markets or those offering material and process innovation, tofuture-proof the approved supply base.

Supplier Relationship Management (SRM): Implementand manage a robust SRM programme for strategic and critical vendors, fosteringcollaborative, transparent and long-term partnerships.

Continuous improvement: Drive improvementinitiatives across the supply base (quality, cost, efficiency and innovation)through structured vendor development plans and performance monitoring.

Governance audits: Conduct regularsupplier performance reviews and on-site audits against contractualobligations, quality standards and committed delivery schedules.

3. Cross-Functional Integration Product Development

Primary liaison: Act as the strategiclink between the supply base and internal stakeholders, including New ProductDevelopment (NPD), Product Management, Operations and Quality, ensuringalignment on specifications, design changes and capacity requirements.

NPI leadership: Lead cross-functionalteams on the sourcing and vendor-qualification components of New ProductIntroduction (NPI) projects, meeting speed-to-market and cost targets.

Budgeting compliance: Contribute toannual business planning and budgeting for assigned categories, ensuring allsourcing activity adheres to company policy, legal requirements and ethicalstandards.

4. Risk Management Compliance

Risk mitigation: Develop and executesupply chain risk strategies, including dual-sourcing, optimised safety stockand contingency plans against geopolitical and economic volatility.

Due diligence: Proactively manage risksrelated to supplier capacity, financial stability and regional geopoliticalfactors.

Contract governance: Ensure all vendorcontracts comply with internal governance frameworks and applicable regulatoryrequirements.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management,Business Administration, Textile / Materials Engineering, or a relatedtechnical field.

Experience

10 to 12 years of progressive, hands-onexperience in strategic sourcing, procurement, category management or vendordevelopment.

Proven experience in the Furniture, Upholstery /Textileindustry (highly preferred).

Extensive experience in domestic andinternational sourcing of finished furniture products.

Strongexpertise in sourcing raw materials and components for sofas andrecliners, including wood, mechanisms, fabrics, hardware and allied materials.

Track record of managing a sourcing portfolio of150 Cr+.

Hands-on experience in the premium homefurniture segment.

Demonstrated success in leading competitivesourcing events (RFP / RFQ) and executing complex, high-value contractnegotiations.

Proven success in identifying, qualifying andelevating the performance of new or existing international vendors.

Negotiation contracting: Exceptionalnegotiation skills with a sound understanding of contract law and SLA creation.

Financial acumen: Strong analyticalskills, including spend analysis, financial modelling and precise TCOcalculation.

Technology: Proficiency with ERP / MRPsystems (e.g., SAP); experience with e-Sourcing or SRM tools.

Communication: Outstanding verbal andwritten communication, with the ability to influence stakeholders at allorganisational levels.

Execution: Ability to manage multiplecomplex, time-sensitive projects simultaneously while maintaining highstandards in a fast-paced environment.