Director, Direct Procurement (Hybrid - Acton, MA)

Job Summary

The Director, Direct Procurement – Plastics is a senior procurement leadership role responsible for developing and executing the global sourcing strategy for plastics, polymers, resins, liquid silicone rubber (LSR), elastomers, and other specialty materials that are critical to Insulet’s products and manufacturing operations. This position leads a team of procurement professionals and works closely with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure a scalable, reliable, and cost-effective supply base. The role is accountable for supplier strategy, contract negotiations, cost reduction initiatives, supply continuity, risk management, and executive-level supplier relationships across a complex global supplier network. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in plastics and molding technologies, a strong track record of leading global category strategies and high-performing teams, and the ability to drive business growth by balancing cost, quality, innovation, and supply chain resilience in a highly regulated manufacturing environment.

Position Overview:

The Director, Direct Procurement – Plastics, reporting to the Senior Director, Direct Procurement, is responsible for defining and executing the global category strategy for Insulet’s Plastics portfolio, including injection moulded components, resins and polymer raw materials, liquid silicone rubber (LSR) and elastomers, and speciality plastics such as films, labels, and flexible packaging materials critical to product performance and manufacturing continuity. 

The role spans Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier networks, including resin producers and compounders, and holds end-to-end accountability for category strategy, supplier ecosystem design, commercial governance, supply continuity, and talent leadership. The Director ensures that the supply base can scale in line with sustained business growth, meet global quality and regulatory requirements, and deliver best-in-class total cost of ownership (TCO) while proactively mitigating supply risk.

Operating within the broader Direct Procurement leadership framework, this position serves as a senior cross‑functional partner to Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Finance and leads a team of procurement professionals responsible for translating enterprise procurement strategy into effective category execution.

Key Responsibilities:

Category Strategy & Portfolio Leadership

• Define and lead the global category strategy for Plastics (injection moulding, resins and polymers, LSR and elastomers), with portfolio-level oversight of speciality plastics categories.

• Establish clear category governance, supplier segmentation, and sourcing models that balance cost, quality, scalability, and risk.

• Maintain strategic oversight at the Director level, ensuring executional depth and day to day sourcing activity are appropriately owned by direct reports.

Supply Continuity, Scalability & Risk Management

• Serve as the single point of accountability for supply assurance and scalability across the Plastics portfolio.

• Identify and mitigate Tier 1 and Tier 2 supply risks, including moulding capacity constraints, tooling concentration, resin and compound sub-tier dependencies, allocation exposure, and geographic concentration.

• Develop and execute region‑for‑region sourcing strategies aligned to Insulet’s manufacturing footprint, ensuring localized supply capability, reduced cross‑regional dependency, and improved resilience against geopolitical, logistics, and regulatory disruption.

• Drive fault-tolerant sourcing strategies, including multi supplier sourcing, qualified alternate resins and processes, duplicate tooling, and business continuity planning aligned to growth forecasts.

Supplier Performance & Executive Engagement

• Build and sustain executive‑level relationships with key suppliers across the category portfolio.

• Lead supplier  business reviews focused on performance, risk, technology roadmaps, and long‑term strategic alignment.

• Act as the senior escalation point for material quality, delivery, commercial, or continuity issues.

Commercial Strategy & Contract Governance

• Own category-level commercial strategy and negotiation frameworks, including resin index and pass-through pricing models, capacity commitments, tooling and capital investment structures, and long-term supply agreements.

• Ensure all commercial agreements (NDAs, MSAs, SOWs, LTAs, Purchase Agreements) protect supply continuity, IP ownership, and long‑term cost position.

• Provide governance and approval oversight for contract lifecycle management, including renewals, amendments, and commercial performance mechanisms.

Cost Management & Value Creation

• Accountable for annual and multi‑year cost reduction and cost avoidance targets across the category portfolio.

• Drive a disciplined pipeline of value creation initiatives, including: 

• Strategic sourcing and competitive leverage

• VA/VE and design‑for‑manufacturability collaboration

• Market intelligence and should‑cost modeling

• Process, material, and yield optimization

• Ensure savings initiatives are sustainable and aligned with quality and supply objectives.

People Leadership & Organizational Development

• Directly manage and develop a team of category managers and procurement professionals supporting the Plastics portfolio.

• Set clear performance expectations, objectives, and development plans aligned to category and enterprise goals.

• Build organizational capability in strategic category management, supplier strategy, negotiation, cost modeling, and risk management.

• Foster a culture of accountability, escalation discipline, collaboration, and data‑driven decision‑making.

Cross‑Functional & Executive Partnership

• Partner with Engineering and R&D to influence design decisions, supplier selection, and manufacturing strategies early in the product lifecycle.

• Collaborate with Operations, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain to align category strategy with capacity ramps and footprint evolution.

• Present category strategies, risk assessments, and investment recommendations to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or related discipline; MBA or Master’s degree preferred.

• 12+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing or procurement leadership within plastics, polymer, or moulded component categories.

• Demonstrated success leading global category strategies across complex Tier 1 and Tier 2 supply bases.

• Strong technical understanding of injection moulding, LSR moulding, extrusion, and related polymer processing, including tool design, cavitation, cycle time, and resin cost drivers.

• Proven experience scaling supply chains in high‑growth or capital‑intensive manufacturing environments.

• Track record of leading and developing high‑performing procurement teams.

• Ability to influence and communicate effectively at senior and executive levels.

• Medical device or other highly regulated manufacturing experience strongly preferred.

Additional Information

• Travel up to 25%, including domestic and international travel to supplier and manufacturing sites.

NOTE: This position is eligible for hybrid working arrangements (requires on-site work from an Insulet office). #LI-Hybrid

Additional Information:

Compensation & Benefits: For U.S.-based positions only, the annual base salary range for this role is $161,600.00 - $242,375.00 This position may also be eligible for incentive compensation. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including: • Medical, dental, and vision insurance • 401(k) with company match • Paid time off (PTO) • And additional employee wellness programs Application Details: This job posting will remain open until the position is filled. To apply, please visit the Insulet Careers site and submit your application online. Actual pay depends on skills, experience, and education.