Commodity Manager

Laars Heating Systems Company • Middleville, MI

4h

About The Position

The Commodity Manager is accountable for the end‑to‑end strategic management of assigned commodities, including category strategy development, supplier portfolio optimization, cost and value creation, risk management, and supply continuity. This role owns the long‑term performance of the commodity and acts as the primary commercial interface between the business and the supply market. The Commodity Manager drives enterprise value through market intelligence, should‑cost modeling, negotiation leadership, cross‑functional collaboration, and disciplined execution of category strategies aligned with business objectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business or engineering required
• 8+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, category management, or commodity management
• Demonstrated success developing and executing category strategies with measurable financial and operational impact
• Strong expertise in commercial negotiations, contracting, and supplier economics
• Proven ability to drive cross‑functional alignment and influence senior stakeholders
• Advanced proficiency with ERP systems (Oracle preferred), procurement platforms, and analytics tools (Excel, Power BI)
• Strong business acumen, leadership presence, and ownership mindset

Responsibilities

• Own, develop, and continuously refine multi‑year commodity strategies aligned to business goals, supply market dynamics, and product roadmaps
• Lead data‑driven opportunity assessments (cost, risk, service, innovation) and convert findings into executable sourcing and value‑creation initiatives
• Establish and maintain category playbooks, sourcing plans, and governance models
• Drive total cost of ownership (TCO) optimization through should‑cost models, cost breakdowns, demand aggregation, and commercial strategies
• Lead strategic negotiations for complex, high‑value agreements including pricing, capacity, risk sharing, and long‑term partnerships
• Identify and execute productivity, cost‑reduction, and working‑capital initiatives
• Segment, select, and manage suppliers based on capability, risk, cost, performance, and strategic fit
• Lead supplier relationship management (SRM), including performance reviews, corrective action plans, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Partner with suppliers to drive innovation, process improvement, and long‑term value
• Monitor supply market trends, cost drivers, geopolitical risks, and capacity constraints affecting assigned commodities
• Proactively assess supply risk and develop mitigation and contingency plans
• Serve as the subject‑matter expert for the commodity, advising leadership on market conditions and outlooks
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, and Program teams to align technical, commercial, and operational requirements
• Capture voice‑of‑customer and internal stakeholder input to inform sourcing strategies and contract structures
• Influence without authority and lead decision‑making across functions
• Ensure disciplined execution of sourcing strategies and contracts
• Own escalation and resolution of critical supply issues, leading root cause analysis and systemic fixes
• Monitor KPIs and supplier performance metrics to ensure delivery against cost, quality, delivery, and risk targets

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior