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Ali Thorpe

@alithorpe

Procurement and supply chain leader delivering cost savings through strategic sourcing, negotiations, and supplier partnerships.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking for corporate procurement and supply chain roles where I can deliver strategic sourcing results—negotiating vendor agreements, driving measurable cost savings, improving inventory visibility, and partnering cross-functionally to execute with discipline.

I’m a results-driven Procurement and Supply Chain professional with 20+ years of expertise in strategic sourcing, vendor negotiations, contract management, and supply chain optimization. I’m equally comfortable setting strategy and executing day-to-day procurement operations, with strengths in SAP, contract administration, and RFP/RFQ processes. My focus is always measurable impact: cost reduction, operational efficiency, and strong supplier relationships.

In my Procurement Manager role at Woodgrain, I achieved $650K in cost savings by shifting from overseas container buying to domestic sourcing, cutting lead times from 3–6 months down to 5 days. I also identified and resolved years of unreconciled open POs and phantom inventory during an SAP system transition, recovering significant carrying costs and restoring accurate inventory visibility. Beyond savings, I drove costs down 10% through vendor relationship management and contract negotiations while maintaining quality and delivery standards.

Earlier, as a Senior Buyer at Schurman Retail Group / PAPYRUS, I managed a $15M product portfolio across 300+ global retail stores, owning buying and supply chain for departments generating $55M in annual sales. I negotiated supplier agreements, supported compliance in high-risk categories (including dual US and Canadian requirements like Prop 65 labeling and Canada bilingual needs), and streamlined delivery from 15 days to 7 days through improved PO tracking and accountability. I’ve led and mentored a team of four assistant buyers, achieving a 40% increase in productivity, and I’m now pursuing a return to corporate procurement and supply chain roles.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Owner/Operator

Current

Cactus Bloom Aesthetics

Apr 2025 - Present (1 year 2 months)

Managed vendor relationships and procurement for professional supplies and retail products, negotiating pricing, payment terms, and supplier contracts. Oversaw business operations including finance, scheduling, compliance, and client relations while pursuing a return to corporate procurement and supply chain roles.

vendor relationship management Procurement Contract Administration Compliance Management Inventory Management SAP Operations Management Supplier Relations

Procurement Manager

Woodgrain

May 2023 - Sep 2024 (1 year 4 months)

Delivered $650K in cost savings by shifting from overseas container buying to domestic sourcing, reducing lead times from 3–6 months to 5 days. Recovered carrying costs by resolving unreconciled open POs and phantom inventory during an SAP system transition, while driving supplier costs down 10% through negotiations and vendor consolidation.

Strategic Sourcing Contract Administration SAP Inventory Management PO Tracking Supplier Relationship Management Process Optimization Forecasting & Demand Planning

Buyer

Woodgrain

Oct 2022 - May 2023 (7 months)

Procured door manufacturing component materials, achieving a 95% on-time delivery rate to support production demand. Managed SAP purchase orders, negotiated vendor contracts to improve lead time by 20% and reduce material costs by 15%, and used forecasting to reduce excess inventory by 10%.

Procurement SAP Purchase Order Management Inventory Management Forecasting demand planning Supplier Relationship Management

Senior Buyer

Schurman Retail Group

Jan 2015 - Sep 2019 (4 years 8 months)

Managed a $15M product portfolio across 300+ global retail stores and two retail brands generating $55M in annual sales, including global supplier negotiations and safety/compliance ownership for high-risk categories. Streamlined delivery from 15 days to 7 days, improved team productivity by 40% by leading and mentoring four assistant buyers, and maintained dual US/Canada compliance requirements (

Contract Negotiation Supplier Relationship Management Compliance Management Inventory Management SAP Team Leadership Cross Functional Collaboration Forecasting & Demand Planning

Buyer

Schurman Retail Group

Nov 2013 - Jan 2015 (1 year 2 months)

Managed stationery, collectibles, and gifting categories with approximately $10M in annual retail sales. Built vendor relationships and negotiated contracts to optimize margin and delivery timelines, partnering with planning teams to forecast demand and manage inventory across North American locations.

Category Management vendor relationship management Contract Negotiation Margin Inventory Management Forecasting Supplier Coordination Cross Functional Collaboration demand planning Operational Procurement

Associate Buyer

Schurman Retail Group

Nov 2012 - Nov 2013 (1 year)

Supported buying operations for multiple product categories during company transition and new brand launches. Managed product assortment and vendor coordination across departments to ensure continuity in purchasing and supply planning.

Assortment Planning Vendor coordination Procurement Support Supplier Management Pricing Analysis Cross Functional Collaboration demand planning Retail Operations Contract Administration

Assistant Buyer

Schurman Retail Group

Jun 2007 - Nov 2012 (5 years 5 months)

Supported senior buyers with product assortment planning, vendor setup, pricing analysis, and inventory tracking across multiple categories. Coordinated vendor product development activities, sample approvals, and delivery logistics to support ongoing buying cycles.

Assortment Planning Vendor Pricing Analysis Supplier Coordination Procurement Support Logistics Coordination Cross Functional Collaboration