Director of Procurement
About The Position
Kardion is a medical device company advancing innovative technologies to improve patient outcomes. As we continue to scale our U.S. headquarters in Irvine and strengthen our global operating model, we are seeking an engaged Director of Procurement to lead our procurement team and provide strategic oversight of all sourcing, supplier management, and contract manufacturing (CMO) operations. The Director of Procurement will lead all sourcing, supplier management, and contract manufacturing (CMO) operations. This role is accountable for stabilizing and maturing procurement processes, strengthening supplier capabilities, and building a scalable global procurement strategy aligned with commercialization goals and compliance requirements. This is an operationally focused leadership position responsible for managing the procurement team while providing strategic oversight of our external manufacturing partners.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
- Minimum 6–10 years of procurement and supplier management experience in MedTech, biotech, or another regulated manufacturing environment
- Demonstrated experience managing CMOs and leading cross‑functional sourcing initiatives.
- Working knowledge of EU MDR, ISO 13485, and FDA QSR regulations.
Nice To Haves
- Fluency in both English and German, with the ability to communicate effectively with German-speaking suppliers
- Experience working in a startup or high‑growth environment.
- Strong negotiation capabilities with a track record of managing complex supplier relationships
- Proficiency with ERP systems, procurement tools, and data‑driven decision‑making.
Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of six buyers across direct, indirect, and NPI procurement categories.
- Strengthen sourcing strategies for components, materials, tooling, and services.
- Own the full supplier lifecycle, including selection, qualification, onboarding, and ongoing performance management.
- Negotiate contracts, pricing, and commercial terms to achieve cost, quality, and risk‑mitigation goals.
- Serve as the primary operational interface for external manufacturing partners in Germany and other global regions.
- Oversee capacity planning, production scheduling, and issue resolution with CMOs.
- Support technology transfer, scale‑up, and validation activities in collaboration with Engineering and Quality teams.
- Establish and maintain supplier governance frameworks, KPIs, and performance review mechanisms.
- Ensure supplier compliance with ISO 13485, EU MDR, FDA QSR, and internal quality requirements.
- Lead supplier audits, corrective actions, and risk‑mitigation initiatives.
- Maintain supplier risk assessments and business continuity plans.
- Partner cross‑functionally with Engineering, Quality, Regulatory, and Finance to align procurement strategies with product development and commercialization milestones.
- Support ERP, MRP, and master data initiatives related to suppliers, materials, and BOM accuracy.
- Deliver regular reporting on procurement KPIs, supplier health, cost performance, and risk exposure.
- Participate in and contribute to S&OP, as well as company‑wide strategic and imperative goals.
Benefits
- medical, dental, and vision coverage
- 401(k)
- paid time off
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
