Manager, Strategic & Commodities Sourcing, Frontier AI & Robotics

Amazon • San Francisco, CA

2d

About The Position

Join us in shaping the future of robotics and AI by building the supply chains
that power breakthrough innovation. As a Strategic Sourcing & Commodities
Manager, you'll own end-to-end sourcing strategy and supplier relationships
across our full spectrum of needs, from specialized robotics components to
commodity parts, software, data, and advanced lab equipment. You'll drive a
unified, high-performing supply chain team that enables our rapidly scaling
organization while solving complex procurement challenges at the intersection of
innovative technology and operational excellence.

Your focus centers on managing the complete sourcing lifecycle for the Frontier
AI & Robotics team. You might spend your morning negotiating contract terms with
a robot manufacturer while simultaneously coordinating with our engineering
teams to translate technical specifications into procurement strategies. In the
afternoon, you could be evaluating specialized component suppliers for
perception modules, then reviewing inventory levels and supply chain risks to
identify potential bottlenecks before they impact our development timeline.

Beyond routine procurement, you'll collaborate across AI research, mechanical,
electrical, controls engineering, operations, manufacturing, and quality teams
to ensure seamless product launches. You'll mentor sourcers, buyers, shipping
and receiving, and inventory staff, and actively seek opportunities to
streamline processes, reduce costs, and automate workflows. Your work directly
enables our teams to access the specialized robotics components, off-the-shelf
robots, and lab infrastructure they need to push the boundaries of what's
possible in embodied AI.

We are the supply chain backbone of Frontier AI & Robotics—the team building the
next generation of embodied intelligence at Amazon. Our mission is to enable our
research and engineering teams to move fast by sourcing and managing a portfolio
of highly specialized robotics technology, advanced sensing systems, custom
assemblies, and precision components. We serve customers across Amazon's
operations who depend on our robots to see, reason, and act in warehouse
environments. Over the coming years, we're focused on scaling our supply base
from prototype quantities to production volumes while maintaining the quality
and reliability that our programs demand. You'll be a key partner in that
journey, working closely with colleagues across supply chain, engineering, and
research to anticipate needs, solve sourcing challenges, and build supplier
relationships that support our ambitious roadmap.

Requirements

• 7+ years of developing, negotiating and executing business agreements experience
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or related technical field
• 7+ years of experience in technical or commercial sourcing in high-volume manufacturing environments, with demonstrated breadth across strategic sourcing, specialized components, contract manufacturing, and commodity procurement
• 1+ years of experience managing a team, hiring, and determining appropriate team structure
• Strong communication skills to liaise with partners, stakeholders, and leadership both internally and externally. Able to clearly articulate requirements, trade-offs, and recommendations
• Understanding of robotics hardware, electronics, and specialized technical components, including actuators, sensors, and electro-mechanical assemblies
• Experience managing procurement processes end-to-end: vendor search, negotiation, purchase order filing, order tracking, receiving, and delivery

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in a technical discipline or MBA
• Experience in robotics, AI research, semiconductors, or similar high-technology industries
• Strong negotiation and analytical skills with experience negotiating high-value, complex technical purchases
• Global supply chain management expertise with international suppliers
• Experience working in progressive, high-growth, high-change environments including research labs or startups
• Experience “selling” sourcing partners, including projecting revenue opportunity and leading customer interactions across multiple management levels
• Mandarin language proficiency

Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive, end-to-end sourcing strategies for our advanced robotic product portfolios, spanning contract manufacturers, specialized components, commodity parts, and general lab equipment acquisitions
• Distill ambiguous requirements and future plans into an actionable supply chain strategy while exhibiting strong judgement and leadership
• Identify, negotiate, execute and structure partnerships with robot contract manufacturers; serve as the ongoing relationship owner and bridge requirements and design changes between our engineering teams and manufacturing partners
• Source and negotiate favorable terms for off-the-shelf robots and manage follow-up parts orders, maintenance, and support contracts for robot fleets
• Source specialized and commodity components critical to our efforts, such as actuators, perception modules, cameras, GPUs, wiring, other specialized robotics components, and lab equipment
• Plan material supply requirements, manage inventory levels, and maintain schedules while proactively identifying supply chain risks and developing mitigation strategies
• Implement, update, and train others on using an inventory management / ERP system
• Actively identify process improvements, cost analysis, and automation opportunities; manage and mentor a small team including sourcing managers, buyers, and inventory, shipping and receiving staff

Benefits

• health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage)
• 401(k) matching
• paid time off
• parental leave

What This Job Offers

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