Head- VDC, Guided Buying & Process excellence

The Head – VDC, Guided Buying & Process Excellence is responsible for driving vendor development, procurement process excellence, and guided buying strategies to enhance cost efficiency, supplier performance, and procurement effectiveness. The role ensures a structured supplier qualification process, optimizes procurement workflows through digital tools, and strengthens contract management by developing sustainable procurement frameworks.

Responsibilities

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Vendor Development & Management

• Collaborate with category teams to identify and prioritize supplier development needs based on cost competitiveness, supply constraints, and quality standards.
• Conduct market research to identify new suppliers, including local alternatives to imports and OEM supplies, ensuring supplier diversity and cost efficiency.
• Maintain and update supplier profiles, monitoring industry trends and market conditions that impact procurement costs.
• Establish governance for vendor pre-qualification, technical due diligence, and capability assessment processes.
• Oversee comprehensive vendor evaluation frameworks — covering financial health, technical expertise, past performance, compliance, and ESG credentials.
• Implement a robust supplier qualification and selection process to ensure optimal vendor performance.
• Drive site surveys, factory inspections, and reference checks for critical or high-value vendors.
• Develop and manage a vendor database across the organization to ensure access to high-quality suppliers.
• Lead resolution of supplier-related concerns by driving initiatives like Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP).
• Facilitate cost improvement strategies, supplier component development, and value engineering initiatives.
• Conduct periodic vendor feedback surveys to assess supplier satisfaction, present findings to management, and address any service gaps.

• Identification of competent vendors
• Identification of various value-added technology to sustains and increase profitability
• Identification of competent vendor for developments of spares
• Number of new qualified vendors onboarded (local/global)
• Lead time reduction
• Retaining the vendors
• Vendor satisfaction score from feedback surveys
• Minimization of orders

Process Excellence

• Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, leveraging digital tools, automation, and AI/ML-driven solutions.
• Develop and maintain KPIs and SLA dashboards to track procurement performance and identify improvement areas.
• Periodically update procurement SOPs to ensure consistency, compliance, and operational efficiency.
• Oversee knowledge management activities and implementation of risk management frameworks to document best practices and lessons learned.
• Generate strategic insights to support direct procurement decision-making and enhance supplier negotiations.

• Percentage of procurement processes automated/digitized
• Compliance rate with updated SOPs and risk management protocols
• Lead time reduction
• Cost savings
• TAT improvement

Responsibilities

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Guided Buying

• Enhance and expand procurement catalogues to improve accessibility, efficiency, and compliance with business requirements.
• Lead the onboarding of new suppliers into procurement catalogues.
• Oversee the creation and renewal of static and punch-out catalogues across multiple categories.
• Develop and maintain Outline Agreements across the organization to streamline procurement processes.
• Oversee timely establishment, renewal, and execution of Annual Rate Contracts (ARCs) and Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMCs) to secure cost efficiency and service continuity.
• Maximize the utilization of ARC buying modules to enhance procurement effectiveness.

• Cost savings achieved through ARCs and AMCs utilization
• Reduction in inventory level
• Minimization of orders

ESG

• Implement ISO 20400 sustainable procurement guidelines across procurement processes.
• Integrate life cycle costing principles to assess long-term cost impacts and sustainability considerations.
• Provide solutions for ESG-related challenges, including environmental protection, water conservation, and climate change mitigation in procurement.
• Implement Occupational Health & Safety Management, Environmental Management (ISO 14001), and Energy Management Systems and ensure alignment with BRSR requirements.

• Timely submission of reports
• % improvement in cost efficiency through life cycle cost assessments
• Measured impact of ESG initiatives on procurement and supplier partnerships

Team Development and Management

• Identify training needs, facilitate skill development programs, and enhance team competencies.
• Address team concerns, provide guidance, and create opportunities for professional growth.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Encourage participation in team-building activities and employee engagement initiatives.

• Performance Improvement
• Knowledge enhancement

• Suppliers, Contractors, Freight operators CHAs, Freight forwarders
• Trade Association, Competitors, Government authorities, Customs, External Auditors

• User Departments, Finance
• Internal auditors

• Savings as per market scenarios and with respect to previous year cost provided by vendor
• Saving across group due to leveraging of Guided Buying and process improvements
• Savings due to vendor management and alternate vendor development

• No. of Account handled (Vendors/Customers) = 10000 vendor data base
• Digital processes implementation = 2 new technologies / year
• Stakeholder Management for implementation of Process improvements projects

• Degree in Engineering
• Post graduate Diploma/Degree in Management

• 20+ years of experience in Procurement
• 8+ years in Vendor management