Strategic Procurement & Inventory Manager

A leading national building materials and industrial supply organisation is seeking a strategic, data-driven Procurement and Inventory Manager to lead its national purchasing and stock optimisation strategies. Based at the head office in Maitland, Cape Town, this role carries overall accountability for the organisation's highest-valued product categories, including steel coils, insulation, and fasteners. Reporting directly to the CEO, the successful candidate will manage national procurement frameworks, drive cost efficiencies, and execute advanced inventory planning. The primary mission is to strike a balance between reducing working capital tied up in warehouse stock and ensuring nationwide branch network availability to support aggressive operational growth. This is a full-time, permanent position based on-site at the national head office in Maitland, Cape Town, operating during standard business hours (Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00). Key Responsibilities: National Sourcing Strategy & Portfolio Management: Direct the national procurement frameworks for core industrial categories (Steel, Insulation, and Fasteners) to secure optimal commercial value, consolidate purchasing power across regional offices and facilities, and convert ad-hoc branch purchasing into structured, pre-negotiated national vendor agreements. Demand Planning & Cash Flow Optimisation: Construct predictive demand models tracking market trends and seasonal variations, manage stock rotation patterns to release cash tied up in slow-moving stock, and establish tailored minimum/maximum stock thresholds for each branch based on storage capacity and local market demand. International Freight & Vendor Governance: Mitigate import risks by monitoring global commodity price indexes, managing currency exposure, auditing tariff classifications, collaborating with freight forwarders and customs agencies to prevent port delays, and enforcing robust Service Level Agreements (SLAs) through regular vendor performance scorecards. Network Operations & Stock Balancing: Lead and align a matrix team of decentralised branch stock controllers across the country, managing an internal inventory transfer mechanism to balance stock surpluses and deficits across locations before initiating external procurement. Requirements Bachelor’s Degree or Advanced Diploma in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Commerce, or a quantitative discipline. 5 to 8+ years of group-level procurement or demand planning experience. Background in industrial sectors (e.g., steel, building materials, construction, or wholesale distribution) is strongly preferred; candidates with extensive high-volume inventory management experience in other sectors will also be considered. Strong knowledge of international trade, freight forwarder management, import tariffs, and foreign exchange risk mitigation. South African citizenship or a valid South African work permit is required. Preferred Qualifications: Professional accreditation with CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) or SAPICS. Direct experience handling raw material procurement (specifically steel derivatives, insulation, or hardware components). Required Software Skills: Advanced Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems experience. Microsoft Excel - Advanced (data modelling, pivot tables, complex formulas). Power BI (advantageous). Benefits Competitive market-related executive salary package. High-visibility leadership role reporting directly to executive leadership (CEO). Opportunity to lead a national supply chain strategy within a growing industrial business.