VP, Strategic Sourcing

Buckman is a privately held, global specialty chemical company with headquarters in Memphis, TN, USA, committed to safeguarding the environment, maintaining safety in the workplace, and promoting sustainable development. Buckman delivers exceptional service and innovative solutions to our customers globally in the pulp and paper, leather, and water treatment sectors to help boost productivity, reduce risk, improve product quality, and provide a measurable return on investment.

Position Summary

The VP, Global Sourcing is a strategic global leader responsible for setting and executing Buckman’s global sourcing strategies with business objectives across all regions, optimizing direct and indirect spend, strengthening supplier relationships and driving innovation and value creation. As a trusted advisor to senior leadership, the VP, Global Sourcing plays a critical role in delivering market profit contributions, operating profit, and sustainable free cash flow through transformational sourcing leadership.

Key Outcomes/Responsibilities

Outcome: Create and execute a unified sourcing strategy that supports Buckman’s global business plans and transformation priorities.

Actions:

• Lead the development and implementation of global sourcing and procurement objectives, philosophies, and organizational vision.
• Align sourcing initiatives with organization-wide goals through cross-functional collaboration with business leaders, supply chain, commercial, digital, and product technology teams.
• Champion Buckman’s change management methodology to embed sourcing strategy into broader transformation efforts.
• Shape and sustain a high-performing global sourcing team that delivers measurable business impact.

Outcome: Organization-wide accountability for direct materials and outsourced products, ensuring supply continuity and cost optimization.

Actions:

• Direct global teams responsible for sourcing major direct materials and contract-manufactured products.
• Establish global strategies for key categories to mitigate risk, ensure quality and delivery, and drive cost and product advantages.
• Facilitate global team formation and leadership to ensure regional needs are met with a unified sourcing approach.
• Maintain oversight of direct and indirect spend, ensuring strategic leverage across regions

Outcome: Strategic supplier partnerships that deliver innovation, speed to market, and continuous improvement.

Actions:

• Build and manage relationships with suppliers who contribute to Buckman’s technology innovation and financial performance.
• Serve as the face of Buckman to suppliers, representing internal stakeholder needs and expectations.
• Ensure effective communication between suppliers, internal customers, and procurement teams to maintain alignment and responsiveness.
• Provide expert counsel on supplier selection, negotiation, and performance forecasting.

Outcome: Optimized indirect spend and a culture of performance accountability across the sourcing function.

Actions:

• Drive breakthrough value creation through co-developed initiatives with business units.
• Ensure application of financial controls and compliance with internal procedures across sourcing operations.
• Implement performance management systems that link individual accountability to business outcomes and rewards.
• Promote a culture of ownership and continuous improvement within the sourcing team.

Outcome: Create and maintain a sourcing ecosystem that fuels Buckman’s competitive edge through supplier-led innovation.

Actions:

• Identify and engage suppliers capable of delivering differentiated technologies and market agility.
• Co-create innovation roadmaps with suppliers to support Buckman’s product and service evolution.
• Leverage category leaders to amplify supplier influence and drive strategic outcomes.
• Monitor and adapt sourcing strategies to capture emerging trends and opportunities globally.

Basic Qualifications

• Education Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, related chemistry, or equivalent chemical experience
• Job Experience: 10+ years
• Business and financial acumen
• Industry and Market Knowledge
• Operational Excellence
• Communication and Stakeholder Management

Competencies

• Ensures Accountability - Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments
• Action Oriented - Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm
• Business Insight - Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization's goals
• Cultivates Innovation - Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful
• Strategic Mindset - Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies

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