Director - Sourcing Execution & Supply Chain Transformation

Role Summary:

Supply Chain Director

must have a strong background in both sourcing and end-to-end supply chain management

Key Responsibilities:

1. Long-Term Strategic Initiatives:

• Develop and implement forward-looking supply chain strategies that align with business growth and operational excellence.
• Drive

  supplier consolidation

  to streamline operations and reduce supply chain complexity.
• Lead initiatives to reduce

  Supplier Lead Time (LT)

  and

  Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs)

  , improving agility and inventory management.
• Implement

  Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)

  programs to optimize stock levels and enhance service levels.
• Reduce inter-company dependency through accelerated localization
• Responsible and accountable for

  supplier capacity assessments

  to ensure capability alignment with long-term volume requirements.
• Define and monitor KPIs that ensure sustained improvement in

  OTD (On-Time Delivery)

  ,

  quality

  , and cost.
• Ensure all strategic initiatives

  positively impact the downstream supply chain

  , enabling faster response times, improved customer satisfaction, and increased competitiveness.

2. Project Sourcing:

• Collaborate with S&M, Project, Engineering, and Procurement teams to develop sourcing strategies tailored to specific rolling stock projects with winning outcomes.
• Identify, assess, and onboard suppliers that meet project-specific cost, quality, and timeline objectives.
• Ensure early supplier involvement in off cycle product development to improve manufacturability and reduce project risks.
• Lead critical make-or-buy decisions in coordination with engineering, product management and finance teams.
• Ensure supplier selection in line with simplicity framework

3. Strategic Sourcing

• Build and manage a

  regional supplier base

  to enhance localization, reduce lead times, and improve logistics responsiveness. Key topics will include rubber localisation, existing C class purchase from global inter-company entities.
• Lead

  supplier capability assessments

  including capacity, quality systems, and risk profiles.
• Responsible and accountable for signing long term frame agreement with supplier
• Responsible and accountable for simplifying supplier landscape through supplier reduction, consolidation, signing long term frame agreement with supplier
• Responsible for supplier QBR ( quarterly business review) calendar and action closures
• Lead transformation of supplier capabilities - reduce subcontracting activites
• Responsible for make-buy decision

4. Services Sourcing

• Responsible and accountable for Services sourcing which involve low volume and high variety part.
• NPI development, LT Reduction, Re-FAI and overlap of the long term strategic initiatives mentioned in section 1.

Diversified (Proprietary) Commodity management including Rubber Commodity

• Identify, qualify, and develop diversified suppliers across India and other strategic locations to reduce dependency on single/foreign sources.
• Simplify the diversified commodity landscape through distributors
• Sign long term frame agreements with suppliers

6. Commodity (Casting, Machining, Fabrication, Engineering Systems & Forging) management

• Drive sourcing strategies for Casting, Machining, Fabrication, Engineering Systems, and Forging components.
• Achieve annual cost deflation targets through negotiations, value engineering, and alternate sourcing.
• Collaborate with engineering and suppliers for timely development of new parts.
• Ensure localization initiatives to reduce dependency on imports and optimize lead times.
• Assess and improve supplier capacity to meet current and future demand.
• Implement capacity-building programs and monitor progress against agreed timelines.
• Conduct regular supplier audits covering quality, delivery, and compliance.
• Maintain supplier scorecards and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Identify, evaluate, and onboard new suppliers to strengthen the supply chain.
• Ensure risk mitigation by developing alternate sources for critical components.
• Track and report KPIs such as cost deflation, part development timelines, supplier capacity utilization, and supplier performance metrics.
• Use data-driven insights to support decision-making and strategic planning.
• Collaborate with Central Sourcing team to escalate the issues related to preferred suppliers.

7. Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Serve as the

  primary interface

  with Central Purchasing and Supplier Quality teams to align on

  OTD

  , quality, and performance improvement plans.
• Actively participate in global supply chain reviews and ensure alignment of local strategies with corporate objectives.
• Support internal stakeholders across Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Finance through transparent communication and results-driven execution.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related field; MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification preferred.

• Minimum 20 -25 years of experience in sourcing and end-to-end supply chain management

  , with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role in

  manufacturing or rolling stock/railway sector preferable

  . Overall 20-25 years of experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead strategic sourcing, localization, and supplier development programs that deliver measurable downstream benefits.
• Experience with

  supplier negotiation,

  supplier capacity planning

  ,

  inventory optimization

  ,

  VMI

  , and

  supply chain risk management

  .
• Proficiency in ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and strong data analytics capabilities.
• Worked in a matrix organization with US or European organization and led transformation

Key Competencies:

• Strategic Vision, Framework and model thinking and Thought leadership
• Operational execution, result orientation and impactful results
• Transformation and simplification mindset
• Strong Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Supplier Negotiation & Relationship Management
• Downstream Supply Chain Optimization
• Risk Mitigation & Contingency Planning