---
title: 'Procurement Manager - Component Sourcing at Chefman'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/procurement-manager-component-sourcing-chefman-mahwah-4yjm97f1txr9'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-24'
---

# Procurement Manager - Component Sourcing at Chefman

- **Company:** Chefman
- **Location:** Mahwah, NJ
- **Compensation:** $180k–$200k
- **Posted:** 2026-03-12
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-24
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/chefman/jobs/4182375009

## Job description

Procurement Manager — Component Sourcing & Domestic Operations Chefman | Mahwah, NJ

## About the Role

Chefman is seeking a hands-on Procurement Manager to own a dual-scope procurement function: strategic sourcing of components from foreign manufacturers, and broader sourcing across logistics, capital expenditures, and domestic vendor relationships supporting our facilities and operations. This is an individual, hands-on role, not a team-management position, built for someone who negotiates directly, wherever the negotiation is happening, and doesn't rely on intermediaries to close a deal.

Operations & Supplier Management

- Serve as the primary point of contact for negotiations with vendors, taking ownership of pricing discussions and challenging existing cost structures to drive continuous savings
- Proactively identify, vet, and onboard new suppliers to diversify and strengthen the vendor base, reducing single-source risk
- Foreign travel (25%) to conduct in-person supplier negotiations, factory audits, and production trials, and to build direct relationships with vendor leadership teams
- Partner closely with local vendor contacts and, where applicable, on-the-ground teams to ensure alignment on quality, cost, and delivery expectations
- Lead pricing renegotiations with existing suppliers on a recurring basis, using market and commodity data to challenge quotes and benchmark against alternative vendors
- Represent Chefman at trade shows such as the Canton Fair and Hong Kong Electronics Fair to scout new suppliers, materials, and manufacturing technologies

Component Sourcing

- Lead end-to-end component sourcing for electrical, mechanical, and electronic parts (motors, heating elements, PCBs, plastics, metals) used in kitchen appliance manufacturing, from initial specification through supplier qualification and production readiness
- Partner with product development and engineering teams to identify component requirements early in the design cycle, ensuring sourcing strategies align with cost targets, quality standards, and launch timelines
- Work hands-on with engineering to build genuine technical fluency in the components you're sourcing, so negotiations are grounded in real product knowledge, not just commercial terms
- Evaluate and qualify component suppliers through technical assessments, factory audits, and production trials, maintaining an approved vendor list and driving continuous supplier performance improvement
- Monitor component supply markets, track commodity pricing trends, and proactively manage supply risk through dual sourcing, safety stock strategies, and alternate vendor development
- Set and enforce quality standards, inspection procedures, and manufacturing SOPs to protect product reliability

Sourcing Strategy, Logistics & Capital Expenditures

- Develop and implement sourcing strategies across logistics, freight, packaging, and distribution to optimize supply, improve quality, and maximize value
- Manage procurement for long-term freight and shipping arrangements, including small parcel carriers, trucking providers, and ocean freight
- Own and execute sourcing strategies for capital expenditures across warehousing facilities, including automation equipment, utilities, engineering services, forklifts, warehouse vehicles, and other site investments
- Negotiate renewals of software and service agreements to ensure competitive pricing and reduce vendor fragmentation
- Anticipate and manage sourcing barriers and supply challenges while proactively identifying spend and savings opportunities
- Develop negotiation strategies, scopes of work, and executive summaries for key procurement initiatives

## Qualifications

- Demonstrated experience negotiating supplier contracts and commercial agreements, ideally including direct negotiation with foreign based manufacturers
- Proven ability to independently identify and onboard new suppliers, and to take ownership of pricing negotiations without significant oversight
- Strong knowledge of procurement, logistics, and inventory management
- Experience leading supplier onboarding processes including audits, capability assessments, and production trials
- Familiarity with manufacturing processes related to electrical appliances or consumer products
- Advanced Excel skills with strong cost modeling and financial analysis capabilities
- Strong understanding of P&L impact and year-over-year cost savings metrics
- A genuinely assertive, hardball negotiating style, comfortable pushing back hard, escalating when necessary, walking away from a bad deal, or using leverage decisively when the situation calls for it. This applies wherever the negotiation is happening, not just in one country or context
- Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to drive initiatives independently
- Willingness and ability to travel internationally (approximately 25%)

## Preferred

- Hands-on experience sourcing electrical, mechanical, or electronic components within consumer products, kitchen appliances, or a related manufacturing environment
- Extensive experience working directly with Asia-based component suppliers and manufacturers
- Familiarity with commodity markets relevant to appliance manufacturing (motors, heating elements, PCBs, plastics, metals)
- Experience managing domestic capital projects or facility-related vendor contracts in addition to overseas component sourcing

A Note on Fit

We've found that technical sourcing knowledge and an assertive negotiating style are two separate things, both matter here, and one doesn't guarantee the other. If you've built real vendor relationships and you're someone who doesn't back down at the negotiating table, wherever that table is, we want to talk to you.

Salary Range (commensurate with experience) $180,000—$200,000 USD

## About Chefman

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Chefman is a leading North American brand of small kitchen appliances, designing and distributing products like air fryers, toaster ovens, and electric kettles, alongside its digitally connected smart appliance brand, CHEF iQ.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Privately Held)
- **Headquarters**: Mahwah, New Jersey, United States
- **Founded**: 2011
- **Founders**: Not publicly available (entity is RJ Brands, LLC)

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Manufacturing, Consumer Electronics, Smart Home Appliances
- Target customers: B2C (home cooks and families), B2B (retailers and distributors)
- Mission or purpose statement: "To provide the world with innovative products that make everyday cooking a better experience." Vision: "To have every kitchen cooking with Chefman products."

## Products & Services
- **[Chefman Core Line]**: A full range of premium small kitchen appliances including electric kettles, air fryers, toaster ovens, cookware, and food processors. The company claims to be "America’s #1 brand of electric kettles."
- **[CHEF iQ Brand]**: Launched in 2020, an ecosystem of digitally connected kitchen appliances (smart cookers, probes) that use guided cooking experiences and an app to streamline food preparation. This represents a pivot toward IoT and smart home technology.
- **[Product Development Services]**: The company has an in-house engineering and design team that handles everything from firmware (Embedded Linux, BSP) to industrial design (SolidWorks, PTC Creo).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (Privately Held)
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue of **$59.1 million** (as of 2026)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: No public funding rounds reported (likely bootstrapped or funded via private debt/equity).
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount of 110 employees, up **12.5% year-over-year** (+18 people). Operating in 6 countries (US, Mexico, UK, China, Brazil, Finland). Recent opening of a manufacturing facility in Hangzhou, China. Strong online presence with 6,735 LinkedIn followers (+10.3% yearly growth).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Brand Dominance in a Niche**: Clear market leadership in electric kettles, providing a strong baseline for cross-selling other appliances.
- **In-House Technical Depth**: Unlike many consumer appliance brands that outsource everything, Chefman maintains a significant in-house engineering team (firmware, software, IoT) and a design department, allowing for rapid product iteration and smart product integration.
- **Dual-Brand Strategy**: The established "Chefman" brand for traditional appliances and the "CHEF iQ" brand for premium, connected smart appliances allow the company to target both value-conscious and tech-forward segments without diluting the core brand.

## Strategic Focus
- **Smart Appliance Ecosystem**: Heavy investment in the CHEF iQ brand and its connected cooking experience (app, guided recipes, IoT hardware).
- **Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Growth**: Active management of its website (Shopify) and digital marketing (TikTok, influencer/affiliate programs) suggests a push to reduce reliance on third-party retailers.
- **Global Manufacturing & Supply Chain**: The new factory in China indicates a focus on vertical integration and controlling the supply chain for cost and quality.
- **Engineering-Driven Innovation**: Hiring for roles like Senior Embedded Linux/BSP Engineer and Senior Firmware Engineer signals a commitment to building complex software-defined hardware.

## Why Work Here
- **Hands-On Engineering Culture**: For engineers, the role involves deep work on embedded systems, IoT, and firmware for physical products—offering a tangible sense of creation (e.g., testing a "Volcano Waffle Maker").
- **Rapid Innovation Cycle**: The company moves at the pace of a startup (small teams, 110 employees) but operates in the high-volume manufacturing world.
- **Hybrid/In-Office Policy**: Roles are explicitly "In-Office" in Mahwah, NJ, with "Typical time on-site: None" listed for some roles on Built In, indicating flexibility but a preference for in-person collaboration.
- **Perks & Benefits**: Offers healthcare (dental, vision, life insurance), 401(K), generous PTO, employee discounts on products, free snacks, and "customized development tracks" for promotion.
- **Employee Rating Caveat**: The company has a low employer rating (2.7/5.0 on LinkedIn from 82 reviews), with specific weaknesses noted in Compensation (2.6) and Culture (2.7). This is a significant caveat for prospective employees.

## Sources
1. [LinkedIn - Chefman & CHEF iQ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/chefman)
2. [Chefman Official Website - About Us](https://chefman.com/pages/about-us)
3. [Built In - Chefman Careers](https://builtin.com/company/chefman)
4. [Greenhouse - Jobs at Chefman](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/chefman)

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- [Product Test Technician — Firmware & Connected Devices (Entry Level)](https://feeny.ai/job/product-test-technician-firmware-connected-devices-entry-level-chefman-mahwah-x5gd0zy8v88d) — Mahwah, NJ
- [Director of Overseas Manufacturing](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-overseas-manufacturing-chefman-mahwah-bz6j3363wqmw) — Mahwah, NJ
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