Director of Procurement

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Based in Montreal, Detroit, and Munich, Vention helps manufacturers automate their operations in record time with the only AI-powered hardware and software platform designed for the factory. Our technology powers over 25,000 machines in 4,000 factories across 5 continents, and we have the privilege of collaborating with a significant proportion of Fortune 500 manufacturers, ranging from rocket construction to electric vehicles, through robotics.

At Vention, you will work alongside passionate and talented individuals who are dedicated to their craft and the impact they create. We form a team of ambitious people who grow through meaningful work, tackling complex challenges, learning quickly, and seeing the results of their efforts every day.

We move fast and aim high, but we do it together, with care, collaboration, and respect. Our culture values the diversity of perspectives and supports your development through intentional mentorship, strong leadership, and concrete opportunities to make a real difference.

What You Will Do

Vention is seeking a Director of Procurement oriented towards execution to lead global supplier management and cost optimization initiatives within its rapidly growing hardware platform. This role will play a key part in improving gross margins, strengthening supply chain resilience, and expanding procurement operations to support Vention's continued global growth.

The ideal candidate combines a strong technical understanding of manufacturing and industrial components with excellent commercial negotiation skills. They are equally comfortable developing theoretical cost models, negotiating complex agreements with suppliers, analyzing global commodity trends, and collaborating with engineering, finance, and operations teams to generate measurable business results.

This position requires a hands-on leader capable of operating at both a strategic and tactical level in a dynamic and rapidly growing industrial technology environment.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead Vention's annual cost reduction program in close collaboration with the CFO and CSCO, with clearly linked savings objectives to gross margin improvement.
• Develop cost reduction roadmaps, both top-down and bottom-up, for key expense categories, including fabricated metal parts, printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA), cable harnesses, motors, electromechanical assemblies, and logistics.
• Identify and implement cost reduction levers, including supplier negotiation, strategic sourcing, dual sourcing, SKU rationalization, specification optimization, value engineering, and design for manufacturing (DFM).
• Collaborate closely with engineering, operations, manufacturing, and finance teams to integrate cost competitiveness into product design and procurement decisions.
• Develop comprehensive supplier negotiation strategies and prepare negotiation files based on a 360-degree view of their performance, including price trends, quality, delivery adherence, procurement lead times, responsiveness, and total cost of ownership.
• Develop theoretical cost models for key raw materials, manufacturing processes, and assemblies to support negotiations and evaluate supplier competitiveness.
• Establish analysis tools, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms for executive tracking of realized savings, supplier performance, commodity exposure, and procurement KPIs.
• Improve and standardize Vention's procurement framework agreements (MSA) while ensuring appropriate commercial, legal, quality, delivery, and intellectual property protections are in place with strategic suppliers.
• Support the selection, qualification, and annual audit processes for critical suppliers, including risk assessment and mitigation planning.
• Monitor global commodity price trends, including aluminum, copper, steel, and electronic components, and proactively identify supply-related risks and opportunities.
• Advance procurement process maturity, governance, and operational excellence initiatives to support the company's rapid growth and global expansion.

What You Bring to the Team

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, supply chain management, operations, or a related technical field.
• Over 8 years of experience in strategic procurement, purchasing, supply chain, or cost engineering within the industrial automation, robotics, electronics, or manufacturing sectors.
• Demonstrated experience in negotiating multi-million-dollar global procurement agreements with high-level suppliers and manufacturers.
• Excellent analytical and financial skills, with the ability to independently develop negotiation files, expense analyses, cost variance analyses, and business case analyses.
• In-depth expertise in theoretical cost modeling for major manufacturing processes, including machining, sheet metal fabrication, injection molding, printed circuit board assembly, cable assembly, and electromechanical systems.
• Strong understanding of global procurement markets, commodity price dynamics, and manufacturing economics.
• Experience in managing suppliers across North America, Europe, and Asia, including knowledge of contractual structures and international sourcing.
• Ability to effectively navigate both strategic and operational contexts within a rapidly growing company.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills to the executive team.
• Strong project management and cross-functional leadership capabilities.
• Comfort with a wide range of negotiation approaches, from collaborative partnership models to highly competitive commercial negotiations.

What We Offer

• Career Pathways: Real growth opportunities through personalized development plans, bi-annual reviews, and a mentorship program.
• Professional Development: Continuous learning on performance management, inclusive leadership, building high-performing teams, and constructive feedback.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Salary equity reviews, inclusive policies, and a women's resource group offering mentorship, networking, and quarterly learning sessions.
• Hybrid Work: Enjoy the flexibility of our hybrid model, allowing you to work from home some days.
• Community Engagement: Two paid days of volunteering per year to give back to causes you care about.
• Team Events: Year-round activities, including the annual launch, employee summit, quarterly 5-to-7s, and departmental events.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Full suite of group benefits for you and your family, starting on your first day.
• Parental Support: Financial support and resources to help employees transition to parenthood.

Interview Process

• Initial call
• Team meeting
• Case study or home exercise
• Decision and offer

We are committed to making every step of the process inclusive and accessible. If you need accommodations, please let us know — we will ensure you have everything you need to succeed.

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