Sourcing Commodity Manager - Optics&Photonics Optical-Interconnects
About The Position
Cisco’s Global Supplier Management (GSM) organization is seeking a Supplier Commodity Manager focused on optical interconnects and passive optical components for CPO and pluggable transceivers. The role works with hardware engineering teams across Cisco to understand product roadmaps and needs, sense emerging technologies, coordinate roadmap reviews with suppliers, identify solutions, and assess supplier capabilities against technical and business requirements. The position combines technical expertise in optics and photonics with sourcing strategy, business judgment, and relationship management. The manager collaborates with internal teams and external suppliers to support technology and product innovation while balancing performance, quality, cost, high-volume manufacturing, and delivery requirements. The role includes supplier relationship management through development and NPI until product release, and participation in complex programs spanning multiple players, locations, and business units. This is a hybrid role requiring work at a Cisco office twice a week.
Requirements
- Master’s degree or equivalent in a technical subject.
- At least 7 years of relevant experience; experience may combine engineering design with business strategy or supply-chain work.
- Knowledge of optical technologies and fabrication processes, including III-V, silicon photonics, PLCs, fiber arrays, free-space and discrete components, and systems for optical communications.
- Deep technical expertise in key optical and non-optical components used in optical systems for communications and networking applications.
- Knowledge of the optical communications, photonics, and networking industry and ecosystems.
- Technical and business acumen, including knowledge of market trends and the design, fabrication, testing, and quality requirements and challenges of optical products for communications and networking.
- Exceptional data analytics and reporting skills, with the ability to communicate technical and business insights.
- Ability to develop and execute short-, mid-, and long-term strategies and address complex technical and business situations.
- Strong interpersonal communication and relationship-management skills.
Nice To Haves
- Experience combining engineering design with business strategy or supply-chain work.
- Ability to lead constructive discussions, take ownership, manage emotions with empathy, and support team growth.
Responsibilities
- Provide industry knowledge of optics and photonics component fabrication technologies and market trends, including cost, technology, and supply-chain ecosystem considerations.
- Collaborate with business-unit partners to understand long-term requirements, map requirements to supply-base offerings, close roadmap gaps, and facilitate component selection.
- Define and implement sourcing decisions aligned with commodity strategy.
- Perform risk assessments and develop mitigation plans; identify and develop alternative technical solutions.
- Participate in complex programs involving multiple players, locations, and business units.
- Manage supplier relationships during development and NPI through product release, including technical, commercial, prototype delivery, and quality matters.
- Negotiate and drive legal agreement terms for the development phase, including NDAs, Development and License Agreements, and Statements of Work.
- Use data analytics and reporting to translate complex data and requirements into clear technical and business insights.
- Develop and execute short-, mid-, and long-term strategies.
- Identify and promote solutions to complex technical and business situations.
- Collaborate with internal cross-functional teams and external suppliers to support technology and product innovation and balance performance, quality, cost, manufacturing, and delivery requirements.
Benefits
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- 401(k) plan with Cisco matching contribution
- Paid parental leave
- Short- and long-term disability coverage
- Basic life insurance
- Paid holidays and a floating holiday for eligible non-exempt employees
- Paid birthday day off
- Paid year-end holiday shutdown
- Paid personal wellness days
- Paid vacation or flexible vacation time off, depending on employee classification
- Paid sick time
- Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues
- Optional paid volunteer days
- Annual bonuses for eligible non-sales employees
- Potential Cisco restricted stock unit grants
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
