Senior Strategic Sourcing and Contracts Specialist

LightForce Orthodontics•Wilmington, MA

About The Position

The Senior Strategic Sourcing and Contracts Specialist develops and executes sourcing strategies, negotiates supplier commercial terms, and manages strategic supplier relationships supporting LightForce’s additive manufacturing operations. The role works cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, Finance, Quality, and Legal to optimize costs, mitigate supplier risks, coordinate contracts, and procure capital equipment. It is a senior individual-contributor position focused on strategic sourcing, supplier relationships, commercial negotiations, and supplier performance. Transactional purchasing and routine purchase order management remain with the Purchasing team. Legal oversees legal provisions and contract approvals; Quality is responsible for formal supplier quality-system audits and technical qualification decisions. The position leads sourcing and supplier management for materials, components, equipment, and services; manages supplier performance and development; negotiates commercial terms and coordinates supplier agreements; and leads commercial sourcing for manufacturing capital equipment. It also evaluates supplier capabilities, financial stability, capacity, and supply-chain considerations, and supports manufacturing scalability, supply continuity, new supplier qualification, production readiness, new product introduction, and manufacturing expansion. The role requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field and 10 or more years of progressive strategic sourcing and supplier management experience in a technically complex manufacturing environment. Travel to supplier locations may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
10+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing and supplier management within a technically complex manufacturing environment.
Proven experience managing strategic supplier relationships, leading complex negotiations, and resolving supplier performance issues.
Experience evaluating supplier manufacturing capabilities, conducting operational assessments, and driving supplier improvements.
Strong commercial, analytical, negotiation, and cross-functional leadership skills.
Experience with supplier qualification, sourcing strategy, and supply-chain risk management.
Ability to work independently and engage effectively with supplier executives and senior management.
Willingness to travel to supplier locations as required.

Nice To Haves

Experience in medical devices, additive manufacturing, or advanced manufacturing.
Experience sourcing specialized raw materials, precision components, and capital equipment.
Familiarity with ISO 13485, supplier qualification processes, and regulated manufacturing environments.
Experience supporting new product introduction and manufacturing scale-up.
CPSM, CSCP, or similar certification.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute sourcing strategies for materials, components, equipment, and services.
Lead supplier identification, evaluation, selection, RFQs, and commercial negotiations.
Own key supplier relationships, including executive-level engagement and business reviews.
Develop supplier partnerships and sourcing strategies that support cost competitiveness, operational flexibility, and long-term growth.
Lead total-cost-of-ownership analyses and supplier evaluations.
Manage supplier performance across delivery, quality, cost, capacity, and responsiveness.
Serve as the senior escalation point for Purchasing and engage supplier leadership to resolve significant issues.
Lead supplier operational assessments and onsite visits to evaluate capabilities, capacity, and business continuity.
Drive supplier improvement plans and hold suppliers accountable for performance commitments.
Partner with Quality and Engineering on supplier audits, corrective actions, and qualification activities.
Lead complex negotiations covering pricing, payment terms, capacity, delivery, warranties, and performance commitments.
Coordinate supplier agreements, including MSAs, SOWs, and supply contracts, in collaboration with Legal.
Manage commercial contract performance, renewals, and amendments.
Deliver measurable cost improvements through negotiations and strategic sourcing initiatives.
Lead commercial sourcing and negotiations for manufacturing capital equipment and specialized technologies.
Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Finance to evaluate equipment proposals and total cost of ownership.
Negotiate capital equipment pricing, delivery, payment milestones, installation, warranty, and service terms.
Support Engineering through equipment delivery and acceptance.
Evaluate supplier capabilities, financial stability, capacity, and supply-chain considerations.
Develop sourcing initiatives that support manufacturing scalability, supply continuity, and operational flexibility.
Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality on new supplier qualification and production readiness.
Support new product introduction, manufacturing expansion, and procurement process improvements.
Provide sourcing recommendations, supplier performance updates, and commercial escalation support to Supply Chain leadership.
Travel to supplier locations as required.