Nayan Patel

Highly motivated procurement professional with 16+ years of experience in end-to-end procurement, supply chain optimization, vendor management, and team leadership across manufacturing, food, pharmaceutical, fine chemical sectors. Expertise in aligning supply chain strategy with business goals, driving inventory efficiency, and ensuring exceptional customer service delivery.

Senior Procurement Specialist Grand River Foods, Ontario

August 2022 – Present

• Lead the end-to-end procurement process for telecom services by analyzing internal requirements, preparing RFQs, negotiating contracts, and recommending optimal suppliers.
• Manage supplier relationships and serve as the primary point of contact for contractual issues and performance-related discussions.
• Develop and implement effective negotiation strategies to meet internal client needs while achieving cost reduction goals.
• Draft, review, and manage contracts in coordination with legal to ensure compliance and resolve any contractual deviations.
• Maintain a centralized contract database, monitor renewal timelines, and evaluate supplier performance, escalating concerns and participating in corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, collaborate cross-functionally with the procurement team, support training of new team members, and take on additional procurement duties as needed.

March 2020 – November 2021

• Managed packaging and logistics procurement; implemented cost-saving strategies across indirect categories.
• Conducted supplier audits and enforced performance improvement plans to ensure alignment with KPIs.
• Collaborated on forecasting and demand planning, improving fulfillment rates and cash flow efficiency.
• Leveraged Sage for accurate spend tracking, supporting finance in budgeting and risk analysis.

February 2015 – October 2019

• Led strategic sourcing for both direct and indirect procurement, streamlined supplier contracts and negotiations.
• Supported Infor rollout, overseeing data integrity and standardizing procurement processes.
• Implemented vendor scorecards and performance KPIs, contributing to continuous improvement and cost savings.
• Partnered with Engineering, Finance, and Logistics to align supply strategies with production needs.

M.Sc. Organic Chemistry, Sardar Patel University, India (2005)

CSCP - Certified Supply Chain Professional, ASCM – ID #2461851