Manufacturing & Procurement Manager

Position: Contract Manufacturing & Procurement Manager
About OWN
'Only What's Needed' (OWN) is people-powered food platform by Revant Himatsingka (Food Pharmer) that builds products with the people of India. We want to build trust in packaged food by building with people, making key decisions public, and keeping ourselves open to public scrutiny by sharing comprehensive test reports by competent third party labs.

About the role
We're looking for a Supply Manager who will own end-to-end supply coordination across contract manufacturers, raw material suppliers, and packaging vendors to ensure production runs happen on time, at the right cost, and without shortages. This person will be the 'single-threaded owner' for POs, vendor follow-ups, dispatch readiness, and commercial reconciliation- ensuring clean documentation and tight control on timelines and spends.

Key responsibilities
1) Production & vendor coordination
Own the production plan execution with manufacturers (CMs) and ensure agreed production runs happen on time.
Track end-to-end milestones: RM availability → packaging readiness → production → QC release → dispatch.
Drive daily/weekly follow-ups with CMs and vendors; proactively flag risks and provide mitigation options (alternate vendors, expedited shipping, re-allocation, etc.).
Ensure compliance with required documentation (COA, batch records, invoices, GRN, etc.) in coordination with internal teams.

2) Procurement, pricing & negotiations
Source and onboard vendors for raw materials and packaging (as required).
Negotiate commercials: rates, payment terms, MOQs, lead times, credit periods, and freight.
Maintain rate cards and benchmark pricing; identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality.

3) Inventory & shortage prevention
Monitor inventory levels of key raw materials and packaging to avoid stockouts.
Maintain reorder levels and lead-time tracking for critical SKUs/materials.
Coordinate with warehouse/3PL for inwarding timelines, GRNs, and batch traceability.

4) Purchase orders & documentation
Create and manage Purchase Orders (POs) for raw materials, packaging, and manufacturing services.
Ensure PO accuracy (specs, quantities, pricing, taxes, timelines, delivery location).
Maintain vendor master data, contracts/agreements, and key supplier documents.

5) Finance coordination & reconciliation
Own vendor invoice validation against POs, GRNs, agreed rate cards, and deliveries.
Drive reconciliations (vendor ledgers, open POs, debit/credit notes, short/extra supplies).
Coordinate payment schedules with Finance and ensure clean, timely closures.
Track spend vs budget (where applicable) and highlight deviations.

6) Reporting & process improvements
Maintain dashboards for: production status, open POs, lead times, fill rates, shortages, and vendor performance.
Improve SOPs and create scalable processes for procurement, production follow-ups, and reconciliations.

Requirements
6+ years in FMCG procurement / contract manufacturing / vendor commercials (food, nutrition, or similar categories preferred).
Must have owned purchase orders, rate negotiations, vendor contracts, and production coordination with external manufacturers.
Hands-on experience coordinating with  contract manufacturers  and multiple vendor types (raw materials + packaging).
Strong negotiation skills and comfort with commercials, payment terms, and vendor management.

Experience with  PO creation, invoice validation, reconciliations , and cross-functional coordination with Finance.
Strong follow-up discipline; ability to manage multiple moving parts under tight timelines.
Must independently lead all work streams

Preferred (nice to have)

Experience of working with top manufacturers (fast-changing forecasts, frequent launches)
Familiarity with QA/QC documentation flow (COAs, batch traceability, specifications)
Working knowledge of ERP tools and strong Excel/Sheets skills