Director – Strategic Sourcing (MRO)

Carpenter Technology Corporation•Reading, PA

About The Position

Carpenter Technology is seeking an experienced and results-driven Director, Strategic Sourcing (MRO) to lead the development and execution of enterprise-wide sourcing strategies across a complex, high-value Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) spend portfolio of approximately $500 million. This strategic leadership role is responsible for driving cost transformation, supplier performance, supply continuity, operational reliability, and total cost of ownership (TCO) improvements across manufacturing and maintenance operations. The Director will collaborate closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Finance, Supply Chain, EHS, Legal, and Plant Leadership to optimize sourcing strategies, deliver measurable business value, strengthen supplier partnerships, and support operational excellence. The successful candidate will combine deep MRO category expertise with strong commercial acumen, financial rigor, and leadership capability in a complex industrial manufacturing environment.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field.
Minimum of 8–12 years of progressive procurement and sourcing experience.
Proven experience managing large and complex sourcing portfolios, preferably exceeding $200 million in annual spend.
Extensive experience sourcing: MRO materials and consumables, Maintenance engineering services, Industrial service contracts, Capital equipment support and spare parts.
Demonstrated success leading complex negotiations and strategic supplier partnerships.
Strong financial, analytical, and contract management skills.
Experience working within manufacturing, industrial, metals, aerospace, energy, chemical, or heavy industry environments.

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree
Professional certifications such as: CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management), CPM (Certified Purchasing Manager), CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional)
Experience with SAP, Coupa, Ariba, Oracle, or other large-scale procurement and ERP platforms.
Experience leading global sourcing initiatives and supplier transformation programs.
Knowledge of reliability-centered maintenance (RCM), asset management practices, and maintenance operations.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute multi-year sourcing strategies for MRO materials, spare parts, OEM and aftermarket components, maintenance consumables, facility services, and maintenance engineering services.
Lead complex sourcing initiatives including RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, e-auctions, negotiations, and supplier selection processes.
Identify opportunities to standardize specifications, consolidate spend, optimize supplier networks, and reduce total cost of ownership.
Utilize spend analytics, market intelligence, benchmarking, and should-cost modeling to develop data-driven category strategies.
Align sourcing strategies with plant reliability, production requirements, maintenance schedules, and operational objectives.
Lead large-scale sourcing programs including: Multi-year strategic agreements, Global supplier selection initiatives, Dual-sourcing and risk mitigation strategies, Integrated service contracts and performance-based agreements.
Drive measurable cost savings and cost avoidance through: Demand management, Specification optimization, Supplier consolidation, Inventory optimization, Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and consignment programs.
Develop and execute initiatives that improve working capital, productivity, and procurement ROI.
Build and manage strategic relationships with distributors, OEMs, service providers, contractors, and engineering partners.
Establish supplier performance scorecards focused on cost, quality, service, delivery, innovation, lead time, and risk management.
Lead supplier reviews, corrective action programs, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Evaluate supplier capabilities, financial health, geographic coverage, and business continuity preparedness.
Deliver annual savings, cost avoidance, and value creation targets.
Partner with Finance to validate, track, and report realized savings and procurement impact.
Develop sourcing levers and commercial strategies that maximize long-term value creation.
Ensure contract compliance, procurement governance, and adherence to company sourcing policies.
Partner with Operations and Plant Leadership to support reliability and uptime objectives.
Collaborate with Maintenance and Engineering teams to optimize spare parts strategies and maintenance service models.
Work with Supply Chain teams to improve inventory performance and working capital efficiency.
Partner with EHS and Legal teams to ensure contractor compliance and risk management standards are met.
Serve as a trusted business advisor for strategic sourcing and supplier selection decisions.
Drive sourcing process improvements and procurement best practices across sites and business units.
Leverage ERP, procurement, and analytics platforms to improve spend visibility and sourcing effectiveness.
Champion digital procurement initiatives, supplier performance management tools, and automation opportunities.
Promote preferred supplier programs and category management excellence.