Strategic Sourcing Specialist

About the role

Cohu is a global technology leader supplying test, automation, inspection, and metrology products and services to the semiconductor industry. We are seeking a Strategic Sourcing Lead to join our Supply Chain team in Rancho Bernardo. This role owns supplier strategy, supplier performance management, and sourcing execution for direct materials and critical outsourced manufacturing activities supporting development and production of semiconductor test handlers, with a strong focus on supply continuity and risk mitigation.

Working closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Program Management, the Sourcing Lead manages key supplier relationships, leads commercial negotiations, supports New Product Introduction (NPI) sourcing, and drives cost, lead-time, and supply continuity improvements. The role is accountable for identifying, assessing, and mitigating supplier and supply chain risks to ensure uninterrupted support of product ramps and volume production.

Responsibilities

• Sourcing Strategy & Supplier Management
  • Develop and execute sourcing and category strategies for Test Handler-related commodities and manufacturing services within North America.
  • Segment the supply base to define preferred, strategic, and development suppliers aligned with business criticality, technology capability, and risk profile.
  • Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with key suppliers to ensure continuity of supply, cost competitiveness, and technology alignment.
  • Own supplier risk mitigation by identifying single-source dependencies and capacity risks and executing mitigation actions, including alternate sourcing, dual sourcing, and capacity buffering.
• Supplier Performance & Commercial Management
  • Own supplier performance management, including cost, on-time delivery, lead-time, quality, capacity, and responsiveness.
  • Lead supplier escalation and corrective action when performance gaps arise, in close coordination with Quality and Operations.
  • Negotiate commercial agreements, pricing, and terms to improve margins, shorten lead-times, and stabilize supply.
  • Conduct regular supplier reviews and quarterly business reviews focused on performance, improvement actions, and technology roadmaps.
• New Product Introduction (NPI) & Engineering Collaboration
  • Lead sourcing activities for NPI and industrialization of Test Handler products, ensuring suppliers meet cost, quality, and schedule targets.
  • Collaborate closely with the Material Program Manager (MPM) to address supplier requirements and requests for new suppliers, maintaining alignment on preferred supplier lists.
  • Take ownership of defining and maintaining the list of preferred suppliers, partnering with Engineering, Manufacturing, and the MPM to evaluate requests for new suppliers.
  • Support make/buy decisions, supplier selection, and design-for-manufacturability considerations to optimize sourcing strategy and material flow.
  • Ensure sourcing decisions are fully aligned with global commodity strategies and the long-term Test Handler roadmap.
• Cost & Value Optimization
  • Analyze spend to identify cost reduction, consolidation, and value engineering opportunities.
  • Leverage should-cost modeling, market intelligence, and total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis to support sourcing decisions.
  • Drive year-over-year cost improvement initiatives while maintaining quality and supply resilience.
• Operational & Cross-Functional Alignment
  • Coordinate sourcing activities with Planning, Manufacturing, and Finance to support inventory targets and production requirements.
  • Ensure compliance with sourcing policies, procedures, and material control systems.
  • Monitor key financial and operational metrics impacting sourcing and supplier decisions.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field, Business or Supply Chain preferred.
• Experience: 8+ years of progressive responsibility in strategic sourcing functions, preferably in back-end semiconductor capital equipment.

Skills

• A track record of year-over-year delivery of distinctive value from sourcing activities.
• Considerable experience working in companies that design and manufacture large, complex electro-mechanical systems, as well as machine fabrication.
• Detailed knowledge of ERP/MRP systems (Oracle Cloud products preferred) and JIT philosophies.
• Expert negotiation skills within an engineering manufacturing environment.
• A flexible, self-demanding, and proactive individual who can motivate themselves and others successfully in a highly dynamic, high-pressure environment while remaining calm and confident.
• Creative thinking and strong problem-solving and troubleshooting capabilities.
• Experience making decisions and a track record of managing multiple issues successfully.
• Advanced-level analytical skills; embraces fact-based decision making; naturally seeks to leverage and/or integrate market data, spend analytics, and modeling.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interact in a cross-functional environment with all levels of management and employees, with the ability to build and maintain internal relationships and influence procurement decisions.
• Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal, and presentation skills; comfortable and credible with both internal stakeholders and external audiences.

Job Conditions

• Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment but may spend time at customer sites and factory floors.
• Occasional domestic travel required.
• Protective equipment may be required in designated areas.

Pay

The estimated base pay range for this position is $98,400 to $123,000 per year, depending on qualifications, experience, education, and other job-related factors.

Benefits

• Medical, dental & vision insurance
• 401(k) with company matching contributions
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Tuition assistance
• Disability & life insurance
• Profit Sharing