Mgr Strategic Sourcing

Function

Responsible for developing, leading, and executing enterprise sourcing strategies that deliver cost competitiveness, supply continuity, supplier performance, and long-term value. Leads strategic sourcing for direct and indirect spend categories, with particular focus on critical manufacturing inputs such as copper, aluminum, insulating materials, packaging, transportation, maintenance services, and other goods and services required to support safe, reliable, and cost-effective operations. Partners closely with Operations, Finance, Quality, Engineering, Commercial, Legal, and plant leadership to align sourcing decisions with business objectives, customer requirements, working capital goals, and total cost of ownership.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing and Category Management

• Develop and execute multi-year category sourcing strategies aligned with business objectives, plant requirements, market conditions, supplier capability, and total cost of ownership.
• Lead sourcing strategy for key direct and indirect spend categories, including metals, insulation systems, packaging, MRO, logistics, outside processing, capital equipment, services, and other materials or services essential to magnet wire manufacturing.

Market Intelligence, Cost Management, and Negotiation

• Monitor commodity markets, supplier capacity, economic indicators, tariffs, transportation trends, and industry benchmarks to anticipate cost changes, identify risks, and recommend proactive sourcing actions.
• Lead RFx events, supplier evaluations, bid analysis, supplier selection, and contract negotiations for high-value and strategic categories; secure favorable commercial terms, service levels, quality commitments, delivery expectations, and risk protections.
• Partner with Finance to analyze spend, validate savings methodology, manage cost reduction and cost avoidance initiatives, support budgeting and forecasting, and report sourcing performance to senior leadership.

Supplier Performance, Risk Management, and Compliance

• Build and manage strategic supplier relationships, including supplier segmentation, business reviews, performance scorecards, corrective action plans, supplier development, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain supplier risk management processes addressing single-source exposure, financial stability, geopolitical risk, quality risk, delivery performance, regulatory compliance, and business continuity.
• Establish, improve, and enforce sourcing policies, procurement standards, contract management practices, ethical sourcing expectations, and supplier compliance requirements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Operational Support

• Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Commercial teams to support new customer requirements, material qualifications, alternate supplier approvals, capacity planning, inventory optimization, and production continuity.
• Leverage ERP systems, spend analytics, supplier management tools, and reporting processes to improve visibility, controls, decision making, compliance, and sourcing productivity.

Leadership and Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop sourcing, procurement, or analyst resources as assigned; set goals, evaluate performance, build category expertise, and promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Position Specifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, supply chain, commodity management, or category management, preferably within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience sourcing direct materials and services for industrial manufacturing; experience with metals, copper, aluminum, wire, electrical products, chemicals, coatings, insulation systems, packaging, logistics, or MRO preferred.
• Demonstrated success negotiating complex supplier agreements and delivering measurable cost savings, cost avoidance, supplier performance improvement, and risk mitigation results.
• Strong understanding of commodity markets, total cost of ownership, contract terms, supplier development, demand planning, inventory impacts, and manufacturing supply chain requirements.
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate across Operations, Finance, Quality, Engineering, Commercial, Legal, and executive leadership.
• Advanced analytical skills, including spend analysis, cost modeling, supplier risk assessment, financial analysis, forecasting support, and executive-level reporting.
• Strong proficiency with ERP systems, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and sourcing or supplier management tools; experience with data visualization or procurement analytics tools preferred.
• Prior leadership experience managing, coaching, or developing sourcing, procurement, buyer, or analyst talent preferred.
• Professional certification such as CPSM, CPM, CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent supply chain/procurement credential preferred.

• Key competencies include strategic thinking, executive influence, negotiation, business acumen, commodity market awareness, data-driven decision making, supplier relationship management, cross-functional leadership, change management, problem solving, and continuous improvement.