Job Description – Head of Strategic Procurement & JIT Supply Chain
Location: Gurgaon (Head Office)
Department: Procurement & Supply Chain
Reports To: Founder & CEO
About CarTrends
CarTrends Auto Parts Pvt. Ltd. is one of India's fastest-growing automotive aftermarket companies. We serve thousands of workshops, retailers, fleet operators, and end customers through our retail stores, B2B distribution network, warehouses, e-commerce platform, and our own private-label product range.
At CarTrends, procurement is not a back-office function—it is one of the biggest drivers of sales, profitability, customer satisfaction, and working capital efficiency.
We operate on a Just-In-Time (JIT) Procurement Model, where speed, precision, supplier relationships, and data-driven decision-making are critical to success.
We are looking for an exceptional procurement leader who can build a world-class purchasing function capable of supporting rapid business growth.
Purpose of the Role
To build and lead a high-performance procurement function that ensures:
- Fast product availability.
- Strong supplier partnerships.
- Better purchase margins.
- Lean inventory.
- Zero unnecessary stock.
- Sales growth through superior product availability.
- Scalable procurement systems and processes.
This role is expected to think like a business owner—not just a purchaser.
Key Responsibilities1. Strategic Procurement
- Develop procurement strategies aligned with CarTrends' business goals.
- Build category-wise sourcing strategies.
- Plan procurement based on sales forecasts, seasonality, and market demand.
- Continuously improve procurement efficiency and profitability.
- Identify opportunities to improve gross margins through smarter purchasing.
2. JIT Procurement Excellence
- Lead procurement under a Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory model.
- Ensure urgent customer requirements are fulfilled with minimal delay.
- Build a procurement system capable of rapid response.
- Minimize stock-outs while avoiding excess inventory.
- Improve procurement turnaround time and supplier responsiveness.
3. Vendor Development & Negotiation
- Build strong long-term relationships with manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers.
- Negotiate competitive pricing, better payment terms, higher credit limits, rebates, marketing support, and exclusive supply arrangements.
- Conduct regular supplier performance reviews.
- Identify and onboard new strategic suppliers.
- Resolve supply chain disruptions quickly and professionally.
4. Data-Driven Procurement
- Use ERP, Excel, and business dashboards to make purchasing decisions.
- Analyze sales trends, demand patterns, and inventory movement.
- Forecast future procurement requirements.
- Monitor ageing inventory and recommend corrective actions.
- Track product-wise profitability and purchasing performance.
5. Sales Enablement
Procurement at CarTrends directly supports Sales.
You will:
- Ensure high availability of fast-moving products.
- Source products before market demand peaks.
- Introduce new high-demand SKUs.
- Work closely with Sales teams to identify emerging opportunities.
- Support new product launches and private-label expansion.
- Ensure procurement contributes directly to revenue growth.
6. Inventory Optimization
- Maintain optimal inventory across all branches and warehouses.
- Improve inventory turnover.
- Reduce dead stock and ageing inventory.
- Eliminate unnecessary emergency purchases.
- Balance inventory with working capital requirements.
7. Team Leadership
- Lead, mentor, and develop the procurement team.
- Define roles, responsibilities, and KPIs.
- Build a culture of ownership, speed, and accountability.
- Conduct regular performance reviews.
- Train the team in negotiation, analytics, and procurement excellence.
8. Process Building & Automation
- Design and implement procurement SOPs.
- Standardize procurement workflows across all locations.
- Improve procurement through ERP and automation.
- Build dashboards for supplier performance, inventory, and procurement KPIs.
- Continuously improve systems and processes.
9. Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with:
- Sales
- Warehouse
- Finance
- Operations
- Logistics
- Marketing
- Product Development
to ensure procurement decisions support overall business objectives.
Required Skills & CompetenciesCommercial Skills
- Strong negotiation skills.
- Business and financial acumen.
- Supplier relationship management.
- Cost optimization.
- Category management.
- Commercial decision-making.
Analytical Skills
- Advanced Microsoft Excel.
- ERP proficiency (Odoo preferred).
- Inventory planning.
- Demand forecasting.
- Procurement analytics.
- MIS and dashboard reporting.
- Data interpretation and decision-making.
Leadership Skills
- Team management.
- Process building.
- Ownership mindset.
- Fast decision-making.
- Problem-solving.
- Excellent communication.
- Ability to work under pressure.
Industry Knowledge
- Strong understanding of automotive spare parts.
- Knowledge of aftermarket brands and product categories.
- Familiarity with distributor and manufacturer networks.
- Understanding of inventory dynamics in a high-volume distribution business.
Experience
- 7–12 years in Procurement, Supply Chain, Category Management, or Strategic Sourcing.
- Minimum 3 years managing a procurement team.
- Experience in automotive aftermarket, OEMs, automotive distribution, manufacturing, or retail preferred.
- Proven track record of improving procurement efficiency, supplier relationships, and margins.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)Procurement
- Purchase cost savings.
- Gross margin improvement.
- Procurement turnaround time.
- Purchase order accuracy.
- Supplier lead time.
- Supplier performance score.
Inventory
- Inventory turnover.
- Product availability.
- Reduction in stock-outs.
- Reduction in ageing inventory.
- Dead stock reduction.
- Working capital optimization.
Sales Support
- Sales enabled through timely procurement.
- Fast-moving SKU availability.
- New SKU introductions.
- Emergency order fulfilment rate.
- Customer order fulfilment.
Leadership
- Team productivity.
- SOP implementation.
- Process improvement initiatives completed.
- Employee development and retention.
What Success Looks Like
Within the first 12 months, you will have:
- Built a best-in-class JIT procurement function.
- Improved supplier relationships and commercial terms.
- Increased product availability across all locations.
- Reduced inventory carrying costs and ageing stock.
- Improved gross margins through strategic sourcing.
- Enabled faster order fulfilment for Sales.
- Created scalable procurement systems and dashboards.
- Developed a high-performing procurement team that contributes directly to CarTrends' growth.
Why Join CarTrends
- Opportunity to build a procurement function from the ground up.
- Direct access to the Founder & CEO with high ownership and decision-making responsibility.
- Work in a fast-growing company where procurement is a strategic business function.
- Influence company-wide profitability, customer satisfaction, and growth.
- Be part of a team transforming the automotive aftermarket through technology, speed, and operational excellence.
If you are passionate about building systems, negotiating smart deals, making data-driven decisions, and using procurement as a competitive advantage, we'd love to hear from you.
Skills Required
supplier relationship management , Team Management, Negotiation Skills, Category Management, Demand Forecasting, Inventory Planning, Cost Optimization, Problem-solving, process building
