Expert Procurement Project Lead

KION Group•Atlanta, GA

2d•$112,875 - $155,000

About The Position

Dematic is seeking an Expert Procurement Project Lead (PPL) to lead procurement execution for the organization's most complex, strategic, and high-value customer projects. This role serves as the senior procurement subject matter expert for project execution, partnering closely with Project Management, Engineering, Solutions Development, Finance, Quality, Manufacturing, Procurement Category Management, and Suppliers to ensure successful project delivery. The Expert PPL is responsible for developing and executing procurement strategies that optimize project outcomes, mitigate risk, protect customer commitments, and support business objectives. This role provides leadership through influence, expertise, and execution excellence while serving as a trusted advisor for complex procurement, supplier, commercial, and project execution challenges. The ideal candidate possesses extensive project-based procurement expertise, exceptional problem-solving capabilities, and a proven ability to lead through influence in highly complex project environments.

Requirements

10+ years of relevant project-based procurement experience supporting complex automation, engineering, construction, manufacturing, or capital equipment projects.
Proven track record in managing procurement for large-scale, complex, and strategically important customer projects.
Recognized expertise in project-based procurement, supplier management, project execution, and risk management.
Deep understanding of project management principles including critical path analysis, risk management, issue management, collaborator management, change control, and project performance reporting.
Demonstrated expertise applying project management tools and methodologies including executive scorecards, risk heat maps, action registers, issue tracking systems, achievement reporting, and performance dashboards.
Proven ability to influence project teams, suppliers, customers, and executive collaborators without direct authority.
Strong business insight and ability to make sound decisions in complex and ambiguous situations.
Proven track record managing resolution of highly complex supplier, commercial, and project implementation challenges.
Outstanding communication, presentation, negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to lead multi-stakeholder, multi-region, and highly complex strategic projects.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

Background in process improvement and operational excellence preferred.
Preferred experience with SAP and Microsoft Teams.
A Master's degree or equivalent experience is preferred.
Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) preferred and/or Project Management Professional (PMP) preferred.

Responsibilities

Take charge of procurement delivery for Dematic’s most intricate, strategic, and high-value customer projects.
Develop and complete project-specific procurement strategies aligned with project objectives, customer requirements, and business goals.
Act as the main procurement leader, responsible for procurement outcomes that support scope, schedule, quality, cost, and customer commitments.
Drive accountability throughout Project Management, Engineering, Finance, Quality, Manufacturing, Category Management, and suppliers to ensure project success.
Lead procurement activities across multiple concurrent projects and strategic customer accounts.
Balance cost, schedule, risk, supplier performance, and customer commitments to make well-founded business decisions.
Develop and maintain Procurement Execution Plans aligned to achievements, supplier commitments, critical path activities, and risk mitigation efforts.
Own procurement risk and issue management, proactively identifying, mitigating, and resolving risks that impact project outcomes.
Assess and manage procurement impacts related to scope changes, engineering revisions, supplier changes, commercial modifications, and schedule changes.
Lead resolution of complex supplier performance, quality, capacity, commercial, and delivery issues to protect project objectives.
Partner with Category Management to develop sourcing strategies and secure qualified suppliers for complex project requirements.
Influence project collaborators, suppliers, customers, and cross-functional teams without direct authority while promoting responsibility for commitments and actions.
Serve as a trusted procurement advisor and business leader in project reviews, addressing blocking issues, executive discussions, and customer engagements.
Own procurement performance metrics, executive reporting, achievement tracking, supplier performance, and delivery of procurement commitments.
Lead continuous improvement, organizational capability development, and mentoring to strengthen procurement project execution excellence.