Senior Strategic Sourcing & Category Manager

About the role

Seeking an experienced Strategic Sourcing & Category Manager to develop, implement, and manage procurement strategies, tools, and plans that align with company goals while maintaining sustained supply in a highly dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Direct activities of all functions involved in planning and purchasing of materials and capital equipment; partner with internal teams on inventory management of acquired elements
• Manage the ECO / MCO change order process together with product life cycle and engineering; ensure process is articulated effectively for vendors and becomes integrated with Engineering and Manufacturing in a co-development environment
• Assist with a large matrix of sourcing and category management initiatives within the mechanical, electrical, and electronics domain at a global level; prioritize tasks efficiently and communicate complex matters to all levels of the business effectively
• Develop and execute strategic agreements (NDA/JDA/MSA) alongside legal counsel that support business initiatives and expectations, taking into account fixed and variable costs, lead-times, schedules, manufacturing capacities, and IP protection
• Source, develop, qualify, and maintain vendor relationships and associated negotiated agreements in collaboration with technical teams and in compliance with policies and controls, ensuring timely delivery of quality goods and services
• Use best practices such as careful requirements definition to develop and execute comprehensive RFPs and RFIs
• Oversee the input, management, and update of master data into SAP/Jaggaer supplier master data for new product launch platforms
• Strategize the purchase order process and ensure proper tracking and documentation of all procurement activities, including monitoring core procurement systems
• Manage and develop best practice sourcing strategies within the global supplier landscape, including new supplier identification and evaluation of current supply base to support new product business line
• Use market knowledge to mitigate supply chain risks; proactively seek information to predict, understand, and analyze risks and develop appropriate strategies
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities such as cost reductions, quality improvements, and supplier consolidations/reductions
• Optimize current procurement and related systems to deliver operational efficiencies, including development and implementation of relevant key performance indicators
• Conduct regular business reviews with vendors to include health and risk assessment
• Ensure strategy synergy and strategic alignment with global PSM leadership and cluster managers
• Work within cross-functional project teams to deliver best-in-class suppliers and development partners for project success
• Lead and participate in multi-functional teams for design, cost reduction, and supply continuity improvement
• Reinforce all safety and environmental policies
• Safeguard reliability/stability of supply and required quality standards in all procurement activities
• Own decision-making, implementation, and responsibility regarding approved sourcing strategies
• Introduce best practices within procurement activities to increase efficiencies in current processes
• Manage coordination of interfaces with internal clients regarding sourcing categories and risk management
• Perform other duties as assigned by leadership to meet business needs

Qualifications

• Experience in strategic sourcing and category management
• Strong reporting and analysis skills with high degree of aptitude in MS Suite
• Strong negotiation skills with ability to reduce costs with sole and single source suppliers, both as leader of a cross-functional negotiation team or independently
• Knowledge of SAP and/or Jaggaer supplier master data systems