Position title: Senior Purchase Manager – Specialized in NPD & Product Engineering
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
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A master’s degree will be preferred.
Experience
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Minimum 10+ years of experience in Purchase, Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Development, or Category Management, preferably with significant ownership of NPD and precision-engineered products.
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Strong experience in building and developing vendor bases for precision metal components, hardware, lighting, interior/architectural hardware, or other engineered products.
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Proven experience working with metal manufacturing and precision processes such as die casting, sand casting, investment/lost-wax casting, forging, VMC/CNC machining, PVD, electroplating, and related processes.
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Railway industry experience will be strongly preferred.
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Relevant experience may also include precision engineering, industrial/architectural hardware, lighting, metal-based manufacturing, or automotive components where the candidate has strong NPD, process, and vendor-development exposure.
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Candidates from automotive backgrounds should have practical exposure to relevant manufacturing processes and supplier development rather than only commercial procurement.
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Demonstrated ability to independently manage NPD sourcing, vendor development, technical-commercial discussions, and supplier problem-solving from Day 1.
Job Location
This position is based in Jaipur, with travel to supplier locations as required for vendor development, audits, trials, and product ionization.
About the Company:
Founded in 2011 by Paritosh Mehta, Trunks Company Jaipur is India's first trunk-making atelier of its kind in over 78 years of independence, reinterpreting the handcrafted concept Trunks into functional art. Rooted in Jaipur's rich cultural heritage while shaping the future of India's art and design landscape, each creation, whether a Trunk for Bar, Dresser, or Trunk for Games, Travel, or Timepieces, demands, on average, more than 2,800 hours of dedicated craftsmanship. With fewer than 100 creations crafted annually, every piece is conceived to inspire and be treasured for generations.
Website: http://trunkscompany.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/trunkscompany?igsh=MTNlN3hvY2cwbXlhZw==
Job Requirements and Skills:
About the Position – We are seeking a senior, hands-on Purchase professional to independently lead strategic sourcing and vendor development for New Product Development (NPD) and precision-engineered products. The role is responsible for building and strengthening the vendor ecosystem required for new products, particularly precision metal and hardware components, from concept and prototype stage through production.
The ideal candidate should bring strong Purchase expertise combined with a Engineering mindset, deep understanding of metal product engineering and precision manufacturing, and the ability to develop technically capable vendors from scratch. This is an independent, HOD-level role that is expected to contribute from Day 1 without requiring basic functional training.
Job Skills –
- Strong experience in strategic sourcing, purchase, vendor development, and supplier management for NPD and customized/low-volume products.
- Strong understanding of metal product engineering, precision manufacturing, engineering drawings, BOMs, tolerances, specifications, and manufacturing feasibility.
- Proven ability to identify, evaluate, onboard, and develop new vendors from scratch for precision metal and hardware requirements.
- Hands-on understanding of relevant manufacturing processes such as die casting, investment/lost-wax casting, forging, VMC/CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, laser cutting, PVD, electroplating, and related finishing processes.
- Experience in prototype development, pilot manufacturing, value engineering, and product ionization of new products.
- Strong negotiation, commercial evaluation, cost optimization, and supplier relationship management skills.
- Ability to independently lead cross-functional coordination with Product Development, Design, Engineering, Production, QC, and Accounts.
- Experience building and managing vendor networks for precision metal, lighting, interior hardware, or other engineered components.
- Willingness to travel for vendor development, audits, trials, and factory evaluations.
Relevant Industry Exposure –
- Railway industry / railway components – preferred.
- Precision metal manufacturing, industrial hardware, architectural/interior hardware, lighting components, precision engineering, and engineered product manufacturing.
- Automotive components/manufacturing may be considered where the candidate has strong process exposure and NPD/vendor development experience.
Personal Attributes:
- Strong communication, interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills with the ability to build long-term supplier relationships.
- Ability to operate independently, take ownership, and make sound sourcing and vendor-development decisions.
- Comfort working under pressure and managing multiple NPD, sourcing, and vendor-development priorities simultaneously.
- Hands-on and field-oriented approach, with willingness to spend time at supplier facilities during development and product ionization.
Major responsibilities:
1. Strategic Sourcing & Vendor Base Development
- Own vendor base development for New Product Development, with primary responsibility for identifying and building new technically capable suppliers where existing vendor capabilities are insufficient.
- Source, evaluate, qualify, and onboard vendors based on technical capability, manufacturing processes, quality systems, capacity, development capability, commercial competitiveness, and scalability.
- Build and maintain a reliable vendor ecosystem for precision metal, hardware, lighting, interior/architectural hardware, and other engineered components.
- Conduct supplier visits, capability assessments, trials, audits, and development reviews; drive supplier qualification through to production readiness.
- Use industry networks, trade fairs, referrals, and targeted market mapping to identify new suppliers and specialized manufacturing partners.
- Maintain an updated and structured vendor database, including capabilities, processes, capacity, commercial terms, quality performance, and development status.
2. NPD & Product Engineering Procurement
- Work closely with Product Development, Design, Engineering, Production, and QC teams throughout the NPD lifecycle from concept and prototype to pilot build and production.
- Interpret engineering drawings, BOMs, material specifications, tolerances, manufacturing requirements, and quality standards to convert product requirements into actionable sourcing plans.
- Lead sourcing for prototypes, engineering samples, pilot builds, tooling, fixtures, and production validation.
- Participate in feasibility and Design-to-Manufacturing discussions and recommend suitable suppliers, processes, tooling, and manufacturing routes.
- Drive supplier-led innovation, value engineering, process improvement, and cost optimization without compromising product quality or design intent.
3. Metal Product Engineering & Manufacturing Expertise
- Demonstrate strong practical understanding of precision metal manufacturing and be able to discuss process selection, tooling, tolerances, manufacturability, and engineering constraints with suppliers.
- Work with suppliers across relevant processes including die casting, investment/lost-wax casting, forging, VMC/CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, laser cutting, PVD, electroplating, and other precision finishing processes.
- Support development of complex metal components, precision hardware, mechanisms, fixtures/fittings, and other engineered parts required for new products.
- Ensure supplier process capability is aligned with required dimensional accuracy, finish, functionality, durability, and luxury quality standards.
4. Vendor Management, Quality & Commercial Control
- Lead commercial negotiations, supplier terms, development costing, and cost optimization for NPD and customized purchases.
- Conduct regular supplier performance reviews and audits covering quality, delivery, capacity, responsiveness, and commercial adherence.
- Coordinate with QC to define incoming inspection requirements and resolve supplier quality issues, non-conformities, and corrective actions.
- Coordinate with Accounts for timely payment follow-up and resolution of supplier-related commercial matters.
- Ensure sourcing activities comply with company policies, approved processes, and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
5. Systems, Documentation & Process Ownership
- Maintain complete and accurate procurement and vendor-development documentation, including supplier evaluations, quotations, technical discussions, trial status, approvals, and vendor qualification records.
- Own and continuously improve procurement workflows, tracking mechanisms, and FMS to provide visibility on sourcing status, development milestones, purchase orders, and supplier performance.
- Build structured processes that enable the Purchase team to independently manage NPD sourcing, documentation, and vendor development without excessive dependency on Engineering.
6. Cross-Functional Leadership
- Act as the senior Purchase representative for NPD and product-engineering initiatives, independently driving sourcing decisions and supplier development from Day 1.
- Create clear ownership and follow-up mechanisms across Purchase, Design, Engineering, Production, QC, and Accounts to ensure timely product development and commercialization.
- Mentor and guide junior Purchase team members on sourcing, supplier evaluation, technical understanding, documentation, and vendor-development practices.
