Senior Purchase Manager
Location: Gurgaon
Job Type: In Office: Full-Time
Role Type: People manager with ownership of procurement strategy and vendor ecosystem
Experience Level: 8+ Years
Team: Procurement
Reports to: CEO
About the Role:
CITiLIGHT is seeking a highly experienced Senior Purchase Manager to lead procurement strategy and execution for our smart infrastructure and IoT hardware programs. In this role, you will be responsible for vendor sourcing, cost optimization, supply continuity, contract negotiations, and procurement planning for electronic components, mechanical assemblies.
You will work closely with engineering, production, finance, and project teams to ensure materials are procured on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. The ideal candidate combines strong commercial acumen with technical understanding of hardware supply chains and demonstrates ownership of end-to-end procurement performance.
About CITiLIGHT
CITiLIGHT is reshaping how smart infrastructure works globally. We operate at the intersection of smart cities, sustainability, and innovation, helping city administrators and private stakeholders deploy cutting-edge IoT-led solutions at scale. As we expand our platform capabilities and product portfolio, we are looking for professionals who can strengthen our supply chain backbone and enable reliable product delivery worldwide.
Key Responsibilities
- Review component requirement lists after inventory validation and finalize procurement lists.
- Coordinate with market research/SOW teams to obtain tentative volumes and pricing slabs.
- Identify and evaluate minimum three vendors per component and maintain comparison sheets shared with vertical heads.
- Apply RFQ issuance thresholds to optimize sourcing efficiency and reduce quotation cycle delays.
- Define sourcing strategy for prototype and sample components jointly with Engineering Managers and Project Leads.
- Select vendors offering the best commercial value while meeting all technical and quality standards.
- Establish vendor partnerships and execute MOUs covering pricing, payment, and sample terms.
- Align procurement schedules with Project Leads and Engineering teams including commercial and payment milestones.
- Issue purchase orders with clearly defined delivery timelines, commercial terms, and conditions.
- Initiate procurement of all project resources in accordance with approved timelines and budgets.
- Develop and execute procurement strategies aligned with production forecasts and project timelines.
- Source and qualify vendors for electronic components, PCBs, mechanical parts, and contract manufacturing.
- Lead negotiations for pricing, payment terms, lead times, and contracts.
- Build and maintain strong supplier relationships and performance scorecards.
- Ensure material availability for production and project deployments without excess inventory.
- Collaborate with engineering teams during BOM finalization to optimize cost and sourcing feasibility.
- Track global component markets and proactively mitigate supply risks and shortages.
- Oversee purchase order lifecycle from issuance to delivery and reconciliation.
- Ensure compliance with quality standards, technical specifications, and regulatory requirements.
- Identify cost reduction opportunities through alternate sourcing, value engineering, and consolidation.
- Coordinate with logistics teams for import/export documentation and shipment tracking.
- Maintain procurement dashboards, reports, and cost analytics for leadership review.
- Implement scalable procurement processes and systems as the company grows.
Required Skills & Qualifications
- Familiarity with Zoho books and Zoho Inventory ERP systems, procurement software, and inventory tools.
- Strong experience in procurement of electronics, IoT hardware, or industrial equipment.
- Proven track record of vendor development and cost optimization.
- Deep understanding of supply chain dynamics, lead times, and global sourcing.
- Experience handling BOM-driven purchasing environments.
- Strong negotiation, contract management, and commercial evaluation skills.
- Familiarity with ERP systems, procurement software, and inventory tools.
- Ability to interpret technical drawings, component datasheets, and specifications.
- Excellent analytical, forecasting, and planning abilities.
- Proficiency in Excel and procurement analytics tools.
- Strong coordination skills across engineering, finance, and operations teams.
Soft Skills (Critical for Success)
- Ownership mindset: Takes responsibility for supply continuity and cost performance.
- Strategic thinker: Balances long-term vendor strategy with short-term execution needs.
- Clear communicator: Effectively coordinates with technical and non-technical teams.
- Detail-oriented: Tracks every order, contract term, and cost driver accurately.
- Problem solver: Responds quickly to shortages, delays, and vendor issues.
- Resilient & proactive: Anticipates risks and builds contingency sourcing plans.
- Managing Up: They proactively ask for the support when needed and makes the most of the resources available to achieve their goals
Nice to Have
- Experience in semiconductor, embedded hardware, or smart infrastructure industries.
- Familiarity with supplier audits and quality certifications (ISO, RoHS, CE).
- Experience implementing procurement SOPs or digital procurement platforms.
