Head of Supply Chain & Procurement

The Lumber Manufactory (TLM) is building the sustainable future of the lumber industry with next-generation sawmill technology. Backed by leading investors, including Cantos, Slow Ventures, Susa Ventures, Banter, Humba Ventures, and Ravelin Capital.

The Lumber Manufactory (TLM) is seeking a Head of Supply Chain & Procurement to establish and scale our supply chain functions. This role demands a hands-on, technically strong supply chain and procurement leader to build and scale our end‑to‑end materials and vendor strategy for our sawmill operations. The focus of this role for the first 6-12 months will be on building the function as an individual contributor while leading and growing the team.

You’ll lead purchasing, vendor quality, inventory/MRO, logistics, and planning—translating partially complete engineering requests into complete and correct orders. Your background includes complex manufacturing procurement, deep familiarity with engineered hardware and processes (machined hardware, bearings, power transmission, hydraulics, pneumatics, PLC/controls, etc.), and proven success supporting manufacturing and production environments.

You’ll architect the processes, systems, and team that ensure the right part, at the right spec, at the right time—keeping our mills running safely, efficiently, and cost‑effectively.

This is an ideal role for someone who wants to build the machine, not just run it—starting hands-on, codifying what works, and then scaling the team around proven processes.

In This Role, You Will

Strategy & Leadership

• Build and execute TLM’s multi-year supply chain and procurement strategy aligned with production, deployment, and capital constraints.
• Establish governance: delegation of authority, category strategies, sourcing playbooks, and supplier segmentation.
• Define KPIs and operating cadence to drive cost, quality, delivery, and uptime performance.
• Build and scale a high-performing team across procurement, inventory, logistics, and vendor quality.

Procurement & Vendor Quality (Player-Coach)

• For the first 6-12 months, serve as the primary technical buyer for sawmill equipment, components, and specialty services.
• Design and operationalize a scalable procurement strategy for equipment, materials, and specialty services required for facility launches.
• Translate engineering/maintenance requests into precise specifications; review drawings, BOMs, and tolerance requirements (e.g., GD&T) to ensure fitness for purpose.
• Source and qualify vendors/OEMs for sawmill equipment and parts (e.g., debarkers, headrigs, kilns, conveyors, scanners, saw lines, gearboxes, motors, bearings, VFDs, cylinders, valves, sensors, PLCs).
• Conduct technical/vendor audits; evaluate manufacturing capability, materials, tolerances, heat treatment/coatings, and QA systems (e.g., ISO 9001).
• Establish clear specs, acceptance criteria, and inspection plans; partner with Maintenance/Engineering on first‑article validation and failure analysis.
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, warranties, service levels, and tooling/spares packages; build strategic relationships and dual‑source plans.

Inventory, Planning & Operations

• Own MRO and critical spares strategy (ABC classification, min/max, safety stock, criticality analysis).
• Balance uptime risk with working capital efficiency; reduce stockouts and expedite costs.
• Align demand planning with Engineering, Deployment, and Production.
• Optimize inbound logistics, particularly for rural mill environments (LTL/FTL, hot-shot, consolidation).
• Ensure inventory accuracy, cycle counts, and parts master/BOM integrityOwn MRO and critical spares strategy (ABC classification, min/max, reorder points, safety stock, criticality and consequence-of-failure analysis).

Systems & Process Excellence

• Standardize item masters, attributes, and taxonomy for engineered components; improve PO/WO linkage and traceability.
• Build clear intake processes for incomplete requests (triage templates, spec checklists, required drawings/data) to reduce rework and downtime.
• Create procurement workflows (RFQ/RFP, TCO modeling, should‑costing, supplier scorecards, risk registers).

Compliance, Safety & Sustainability

• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards relevant to lumber manufacturing.
• Maintain accurate records and audit readiness (contracts, pricing files, vendor approvals, COIs, MSDS).

Qualifications

• 8–12 years in supply chain/procurement within manufacturing; 3–5 years leading teams.
• Strong technical fluency with engineered parts: ability to read drawings (incl. tolerances), understand materials and finishes, and validate specs for rotating equipment, hydraulics/pneumatics, and controls/automation.
• Demonstrated success supporting manufacturing/production environments.
• Experience building procurement processes from the ground up: category management, vendor qualification, and KPI frameworks.
• ERP/MRP and CMMS proficiency; data‑driven decision maker (Excel/Sheets and basic analytics).
• Proven negotiation skills with OEMs and industrial suppliers; adept at risk mitigation and dual‑sourcing.
• Excellent cross‑functional collaboration with Maintenance, Engineering, Operations, and Finance.
• Exposure to reliability engineering concepts (RCM/FMEA), critical spares methodology, and failure analysis.
• Experience in wood products/sawmill, pulp & paper, heavy industrial, or capital‑intensive manufacturing.

The expected starting annual base salary for this position is $200,000. Our compensation and benefits package includes comprehensive health coverage, life insurance, and flexible time off. The applicable annual base salary paid to a successful applicant will be determined based on multiple factors, including but not limited to the nature and extent of prior experience and educational background.

We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits:

• 100% employer-paid health coverage for employees and dependents (medical, dental, vision)
• Life insurance and disability coverage (100% employer-paid)
• Opportunity to shape the future of an essential industry

Join our team as we modernize timber from forest to finished product.

The Lumber Manufactory is an equal opportunity employer committed to building an inclusive team. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.