The Opportunity

This is a high-impact, strategic procurement leadership role responsible for owning and scaling the entire procurement function for a rapidly growing industrial equipment organization. The Senior Procurement Specialist will lead domestic and international sourcing initiatives, manage complex vendor relationships across Europe and Asia, and support both forecasting-driven and project-based purchasing models.

This role has evolved beyond transactional buying. With increased global supplier exposure and project-based revenue growth, procurement must now operate as a strategic function, managing tariffs, freight strategy, forecasting accuracy, supplier performance, and global supply chain risk. The individual in this role will partner directly with leadership to build scalable systems, improve process discipline, and ensure procurement supports both operational efficiency and long-term growth. This is an opportunity for a procurement professional who wants ownership, visibility, and the ability to build structure within a growth-stage organization.

What You Will Bring

Required Experience

• 7+ years of experience in procurement, supply chain, operations, or project-based purchasing
• Direct ownership of vendor relationships (domestic and international)
• Experience negotiating pricing, contracts, and performance expectations with global suppliers
• Proven experience managing tariffs, customs, import/export documentation, and international trade variables
• Experience supporting both forecasting-based purchasing and project-based procurement
• Demonstrated ability to scale procurement processes in a growing organization
• Strong financial acumen (landed cost modeling, cash flow impact, working capital considerations)
• ERP system experience and advanced Excel/analytics capability
• Strong cross-functional communication skills (Sales, Engineering, Operations, Finance)

Preferred Experience

• Background in industrial equipment, material handling, automation, manufacturing, or engineered products
• Experience in impact protection, capital equipment, or similar industrial sectors
• Experience developing forecasting models or supporting SOP processes
• Familiarity with Incoterms, FX exposure modeling, freight strategy, and global logistics optimization
• Bilingual capability (Italian or Spanish preferred)

Why You’ll Love Handle-It

• Ownership & Visibility: This is not a buyer role, it is full procurement ownership with direct partnership alongside leadership.
• Growth Trajectory: The company is scaling rapidly, increasing project-based purchasing and international complexity.
• Strategic Impact: Opportunity to build systems, improve forecasting accuracy, and design scalable procurement infrastructure.
• Global Exposure: Work directly with international suppliers across Europe and Asia.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Close collaboration with Sales, Engineering, Operations, and Finance.

The Company

Handle-It, Inc. is a U.S.-based manufacturer and distributor of industrial material handling equipment and impact protection solutions. Serving warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing environments nationwide, the company provides both standard product offerings and customized, project-driven solutions.

With growing international supplier partnerships and expanding project complexity, procurement plays a critical role in maintaining margin integrity, ensuring supply continuity, and supporting scalable growth.

Performance Objectives

Procurement Ownership & Stabilization (First 90 Days)

• Fully transition procurement responsibilities currently shared across leadership.
• Establish communication cadence with all key domestic and international suppliers.
• Assess current supplier performance, risk exposure, tariff impact, and contract terms.
• Identify immediate process gaps and present a 90-day improvement roadmap.

Vendor Strategy & Global Risk Management

• Develop structured vendor performance metrics and accountability processes.
• Strengthening international supplier partnerships in Europe and Asia.
• Implement proactive tariff mitigation, freight strategy, and trade compliance processes.
• Establish contingency sourcing strategies for critical components.

Forecasting & Inventory Optimization

• Improve forecasting accuracy for forecasting-based product family.
• Build structured processes to support communication-driven project purchasing.
• Develop forecasting models incorporating backlog, seasonality, growth projections, and cash flow impact.
• Improve inventory turns and working capital utilization.

Project-Based Procurement Excellence

• Partner with Sales, Engineering, and Operations to align equipment procurement with project specifications.
• Validate supplier documentation and coordinate technical clarifications.
• Ensure supplier production timelines align with internal project milestones.
• Reduce procurement-driven project delays.

Supply Chain Process Development & Scalability

• Document and standardize procurement processes.
• Implement KPIs and reporting dashboards for leadership visibility.
• Improve lead times, supplier reliability, and logistics efficiency.
• Develop early-warning systems for supply disruptions or cost volatility

Financial & Cost Optimization Impact

• Model landed cost scenarios incorporating tariffs, FX exposure, and freight variables.
• Negotiate improved pricing structures and contract terms where appropriate.
• Identify cost-saving and margin-protection opportunities.
• Align procurement decisions with broader financial and growth strategy.

Cultural & Cross-Functional Integration

• Build strong working relationships with Sales, Engineering, Finance, and Operations.
• Establish procurement as a strategic partner rather than an order-processing function.
• Demonstrate confident decision-making and ownership in ambiguous or evolving situations.