Senior Manager, Strategic Sourcing

About the role

The Sr. Strategic Sourcing Manager is responsible for developing and executing enterprise-wide sourcing and category strategies across indirect spend categories based on evolving business priorities and organizational needs. Categories may include operations, professional services, technology, facilities, fleet, HR, and/or other indirect procurement areas.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with existing and prospective vendors to enhance the supplier relationship framework and ensure alignment with organizational objectives.
• Lead strategic supplier negotiations to secure competitive pricing, favorable commercial terms, service level agreements, and contract provisions that support operational objectives and deliver sustainable enterprise value.
• Develop and execute category strategies that align with enterprise business objectives, operational requirements, and market conditions.
• Analyze spend, supplier performance, market trends, and business requirements to identify sourcing opportunities and cost optimization initiatives.
• Lead strategic sourcing events including RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, supplier evaluations, negotiations, and contract awards.
• Support procurement initiatives across multiple indirect categories and shift focus as organizational priorities change.
• Develop subject matter expertise in newly assigned spend categories through stakeholder engagement, market research, supplier collaboration, and data analysis.
• Establish and manage strategic supplier relationships through regular business reviews, performance scorecards, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop preferred supplier programs that improve compliance, simplify purchasing, and increase enterprise leverage across the organization.
• Partner with branch operations, functional business leaders, finance, legal, and executive stakeholders to understand evolving business needs and develop sourcing solutions that balance enterprise objectives with operational requirements.
• Build and maintain comprehensive category intelligence including spend analytics, supplier segmentation, contract repository, market assessments, and sourcing pipeline.
• Monitor supplier performance against established KPIs and implement corrective action plans when necessary.
• Support annual budgeting and forecasting activities by providing category-specific market intelligence and cost projections.
• Identify opportunities to standardize products, services, specifications, and purchasing processes across the enterprise.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, ethical sourcing standards, and contractual obligations.
• Lead change management efforts associated with supplier transitions, contract implementations, and process improvements.
• Continuously evaluate market conditions, emerging suppliers, and industry trends to maintain competitive sourcing strategies.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of five - seven years of experience in procurement supplier management, or related field.
• Demonstrated strong negotiation skills, with the ability to influence and drive favorable outcomes in financial and legal agreements.
• Proven negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills.
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in utilizing reporting and analytics tools to evaluate supplier performance and market trends.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects concurrently in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong ethics and commitment to upholding high ethical standards in all business activities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel, and experience with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
• Demonstrated success leading competitive sourcing events and negotiating commercial agreements.

Qualifications

• Advanced Degree or Certification: A Master’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field, or professional certification such as CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management).
• Leadership Experience: Demonstrated experience in a leadership role within supplier or supply chain management, showcasing the ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive strategic initiatives.
• Strategic Vendor Management: Proficiency in developing and executing vendor management strategies that align with corporate objectives, with a proven track record of enhancing vendor relations and ROI.
• Advanced Negotiation Techniques: Recognized expertise in advanced negotiation practices, with experience in complex contract negotiations, demonstrating the ability to secure favorable conditions and terms on behalf of the organization.
• Project Management Proficiency: Ability to manage multiple ongoing projects effectively using project management tools and methodologies, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and timely delivery.
• Change Management Experience: Experience driving change management processes within a supplier relationship context, facilitating transitions smoothly and maintaining supplier engagement throughout change initiatives.
• Technological Proficiency: Proficient in utilizing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, supplier relationship management (SRM) tools, and data analytics platforms to support strategic decision-making processes.
• Innovation and Adaptability: Ability to lead initiatives focused on innovation and process optimization within supplier partnerships, showcasing adaptability in dynamic market conditions.

Skills

• Negotiation Proficiency: Demonstrates advanced ability to negotiate complex contractual terms, pricing strategies, vendor rebates, and payment agreements to optimize financial outcomes and foster long-term, strategic partnerships with diverse suppliers.
• Analytical Acumen: Possesses strong analytical capabilities to assess market data, evaluate vendor performance, and make data-driven decisions that enhance category total cost of ownership, strategically aligning supplier contributions with corporate financial objectives.
• Communication Excellence: Exhibits professional communication skills, enabling effective interactions with vendors, internal stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to facilitate the development of strategic sourcing events and category strategies.
• Strategic Relationship Management: Expertise in establishing and nurturing strategic vendor relationships, performing annual evaluations to refine and rationalize supplier portfolios, thereby enhancing organizational value and competitiveness.
• Ethical Standards and Integrity: Upholds the highest ethical standards, consistently demonstrating integrity in supplier interactions and contract negotiations, aligning with the organization's values and ethical guidelines.

Work Environment

The Sr. Strategic Sourcing Manager operates within a dynamic, hybrid work environment that combines in-office presence with remote flexibility to ensure optimal collaboration and performance. The role requires travel domestically up to 15% of the time to develop and manage vendor relationships, engage in strategic negotiations, and support key initiatives.

The physical demands include the ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods, frequently move about the office to access files and office machinery, and occasionally lift or move objects weighing up to 15 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.