Senior Manager, Direct Buying

We’re Watts. Together, we’re reimagining the future of water.

We feel proud every day about what we do. We're all part of the same crucial mission, no matter what function we support -- it's to provide safe, clean water for the world, and to protect our planet's most valuable resource.

What we do:

For 150 years, Watts has built best-in-class products that are trusted by customers in residential and commercial settings across the world. We are at the forefront of innovation, working with cutting-edge technology to provide smart and connected, sustainable water solutions for the future. Watts is a leading brand with a quality reputation — and we have a dynamic future ahead.​

The Senior Manager, Direct Buying leads the enterprise-wide MRP Buying organization, ensuring replenishment signals, planning parameters, and master data reflect operational realities and business priorities. This role establishes strategy, governance, and performance standards to deliver the right product, at the right place and time, while optimizing inventory, cost, and service. This role is accountable for building the performance foundation of the MRP organization, including defining KPIs, driving visibility, and enforcing accountability. The position oversees MRP execution, data integrity, and supply issue resolution, partnering with Demand Planning, Scheduling, Sourcing, and Operations to align demand, supply, capacity, and supplier performance. A strong change agent is required to transform the organization into a high-performing, disciplined execution team by improving prioritization, speed, and operational rigor. This position is leading the MRP Buying team. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in materials planning, ERP/APS logic, and parameter governance, with proven experience driving transformation, implementing performance management systems, and leading change across a matrix organization.

Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the enterprise-wide team of MRP Buyers
• Establish vision, operating standards, and performance expectations
• Design and implement KPI frameworks to measure execution, responsiveness, inventory impact, and supplier performance
• Create performance visibility through dashboards and reporting to drive accountability and decision-making
• Own enterprise governance of MRP parameters (lead times, lot sizes, safety stock, ROP, MOQ)
• Ensure master data accuracy across ERP/APS systems and lead remediation efforts
• Standardize parameter governance and institutionalize regular reviews tied to supplier performance and S&OP
• Oversee execution of MRP signals (reschedules, expedites, cancellations, PO releases)
• Ensure timely escalation of supply risks and cross-functional resolution
• Reduce MRP “noise” through improved logic, data quality, and workflows
• Establish clear prioritization frameworks and drive proactive escalation culture
• Manage inventory performance (turns, excess, aging, obsolescence) for purchased parts
• Lead root cause analysis of service failures and implement corrective actions
• Balance service, working capital, and risk through aligned replenishment strategies
• Translate outcomes into actionable insights tied to daily execution
• Improve ERP/APS planning logic to increase reliability and automation
• Lead CI initiatives to enhance workflows, data governance, and exception handling
• Partner with IT and Analytics to improve tools, dashboards, and planning models
• Eliminate inefficiencies and standardize processes to support centralization
• Align with Demand Planning, Scheduling, Sourcing, and Operations on supply execution
• Communicate risks, trade-offs, and mitigation plans clearly to stakeholders
• Lead Tier 1 forums for rapid issue resolution
• Support organizational transition as buying activities are centralized
• Reinforce a “right product, right place, right time” mindset
• Ensure MRP actions support service levels and operational readiness
• Communicate trade-offs clearly to enable aligned decisions
• Develop and manage a team of MRP Buyers
• Set clear expectations and reinforce accountability
• Elevate team performance through prioritization, coaching, and standard work
• Drive change management to embed new processes, performance discipline, and ways of working

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required (Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, Business, Finance)
• Master’s degree preferred (MBA or Supply Chain/Operations specialization)
• APICS or equivalent certification preferred
• 10+ years of experience in supply chain, materials planning, or MRP/DRP planning roles; 3+ ye