Vijayraj Shetty

Strategy Development: Analyze business needs and market trends to create sourcing strategies that align with company goals (e.g., cost optimization, innovation, sustainability). Develop category strategies for direct materials with clear sourcing objectives. Identify and mitigate risks across the supply chain and vendor base. Supplier Management: Identify, evaluate, and onboard suppliers based on capability, capacity, compliance, and cost. Build and maintain long-term relationships with strategic suppliers to improve reliability and performance. Conduct vendor performance reviews (KPIs, scorecards) to ensure service, quality, and delivery expectations are met. Engage in supplier development programs to improve quality, reduce cost, and enhance innovation Cost Management & Negotiation: Lead RFQ/RFP processes, conduct cost breakdown analysis and negotiate pricing, terms, and contracts. Spearheaded the development and standardization of product costing formats for Indian vendors, driving cost efficiency and enabling clear, data-driven cost comparisons for management decision-making. Drive cost reduction initiatives using value analysis, benchmarking, and VAVE (Value Analysis/Value Engineering) Track raw material trends, labor costs, and currency fluctuations to support data-driven negotiations Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with Product Development, Engineering, Quality, Finance, and Legal teams to align sourcing efforts with business objectives Partnered with brand finance teams to execute financial costing analyses and evaluate vendor contributions, securing cost approvals and optimizing budgets. Ensure sourcing decisions meet sustainability, regulatory, and compliance standards Quality Assurance & Compliance: Led the implementation of Quality Control Orders (QCO) for domestic sales in India, managing compliance with FMCS and BIS certification processes to meet regulatory standards.

Lead and manage a team in strategic sourcing, procurement, and supplier relationship management for key commodities. Develop and implement sourcing strategies to optimize costs, manage risks, and align with business objectives. Negotiate contracts, manage supplier performance, and ensure compliance with quality standards and delivery timelines. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive operational efficiency, innovation, and continuous improvement. Monitor market trends to identify opportunities and mitigate potential supply chain risks. Mentor and develop team members, fostering a culture of collaboration and professional growth.

Drive supplier selection by identifying strategic suppliers to partner with in various categories and areas of business. Communicating progress and risks of proposed initiatives and recommending potential suppliers based on analysis against supplier criteria. Lead cross-functional cost reduction initiatives and early supplier involvement for the assigned commodities, lead target costing and negotiate supply agreements. Builds strong and trusting relationships with team members and business partners; works collaboratively and cross-functionally to achieve objectives. Collaborates cross-functionally with the various business partners and suppliers to understand business needs and priorities. Develop & communicate the KPIs & measurements relating to Product Development process, Service Level including various sub-processes to drive continuous improvement in Schedule Adherence & Order Lead Time reduction. Monitor supplier’s performance & track supplier action plans to reach their QDC continuous improvements.