Strategic Sourcing Specialist

Role Purpose

The Strategic Sourcing Specialist accelerates growth by building a scalable, resilient, and cost-competitive supply base capable of supporting growth at an accelerated pace. This role leads market intelligence, supplier development, cost optimization, and risk management initiatives that enable rapid product ramp-up, geographic expansion, and technology adoption—while safeguarding continuity of supply and quality.

Essential Functions

The essential functions of this job require the person, with or without reasonable accommodation, to perform the following:

- Growth-Aligned Sourcing Strategy: Develop and execute multi-year category strategies aligned to corporate growth objectives, ensuring capacity, lead-time, and cost structures can scale to support significant increase in demand. Partner with Operations, Planning, and Product teams to forecast strategic materials for new product introductions (NPIs) and market expansions.

- Supplier Development & Global Expansion: Identify, qualify, and onboard diversified global suppliers to increase capacity, reduce risk, and capture competitive advantages in cost, quality, and technology. Lead supplier innovation programs (design-for-cost, value engineering, and co-development) to accelerate speed-to-market.

- Advanced Analytics & Digital Enablement: Use data-driven tools (e.g., spend analytics, price indexing, scenario modeling) to guide sourcing decisions, anticipate market shifts, and validate savings. Build supplier KPI dashboards (OTD, quality, lead-time, TCO, capacity, sustainability) linked to the five-year growth plan.

- RFx Excellence & TCO Optimization: Own end-to-end RFQ/RFI/RFP processes, bid list creation, clean-sheet costing, and should-cost analysis. Drive Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) improvements across PPV, logistics, inventory, warranties, lifecycle costs, and energy/material efficiency.

- Operational Flow & Inventory Programs: Implement and maintain JIT/VMI/Kanban/consignment programs to compress lead times, reduce inventory, and support high-mix, high-volume growth. Collaborate with Production Planning to align replenishment strategies with demand surges and seasonality.

- Risk Management & Resilience: Proactively assess and mitigate supply risks (geopolitical, single-source, capacity, compliance, ESG) with multi-sourcing, buffer strategies, and continuity plans. Maintain Supplier Risk Heatmaps and execute corrective action plans with cross-functional stakeholders.

- Contracting & Negotiations: Lead strategic negotiations; renegotiate, renew, and discontinue supplier agreements to capture savings, capacity commitments, and service-level improvements. Establish long-term agreements with cost-indexing, capacity reservations, and performance clauses.

- Cross-Functional Leadership: Facilitate cross-functional sourcing reviews; lead meetings across Engineering, Quality, Operations, Finance, and Logistics to align decisions with growth targets. Advise design teams on manufacturability, material alternatives, and cost implications; read and interpret CAD drawings and specifications.

- Quality, Compliance & Sustainability: Ensure supplier adherence to quality standards, regulatory requirements, and ESG expectations (e.g., responsible sourcing, waste reduction, energy efficiency). Integrate sustainability criteria into sourcing evaluations and TCO models.

- Systems & Process Excellence: Utilize SAP and digital procurement platforms for accurate master data, contracts, and order execution. Standardize category playbooks and SOPs to drive repeatable, scalable results across geographies.

- Market Intelligence: Continuously analyze industry trends, commodities, and evolving technologies to identify opportunities and preempt supply base issues.

- Relationship Management: Foster strategic relationships with existing and prospective suppliers to strengthen collaboration, innovation, and performance.

- Travel: Travel as required for supplier audits, development, negotiations, and cross-site collaboration.

- Other Duties: Perform all other duties as assigned.

Qualifications (Education & Experience)

- Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Procurement, Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, or Electronics; minimum 10 years related experience.

- Proven Commodity Management experience in a manufacturing environment.

- Extensive knowledge of RFQ/RFP processes and requirements.

- Demonstrated knowledge of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

- Working knowledge of JIT, consignment, VMI, Kanban programs.

- Proficiency with SAP or similar ERP; familiarity with digital procurement/analytics tools.

- Ability to read CAD drawings and collaborate with Engineering on specifications.

- Experience leading cross-functional meetings and influencing stakeholders across departments.

- Extensive background in sourcing and supplier management across multiple categories: electrical and electronic components, plastics, metal parts, copper wire, and large-scale complex assemblies.

Core Competencies

- Strategic Thinking & Category Strategy Development

- Negotiation & Contract Management

- Supplier Development & Performance Management

- Data Analytics & Scenario Modeling

- Risk Assessment & Business Continuity Planning

- Cross-Functional Leadership & Communication

- Quality & Compliance Orientation

- Results Focus with Ownership Mindset

All Employees Are Expected To

- Follow the Employee Handbook policies and procedures and uphold organizational values.

- Contribute to building a positive work environment.

- Report for work consistently and on time.

- Report to supervision conditions or practices that are unsafe to ebm‑papst and its employees.

- Adhere to the Company’s Travel Policy.

EEO Statement

ebm–papst Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.