Strategic Sourcing Manager - IT

Applied Materials • Santa Clara, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Strategic Sourcing Manager is a senior individual contributor responsible for leading complex, high‑judgment sourcing engagements aligned to approved Category Strategies. This role converts strategy into executable sourcing wave plans, drives negotiation and commercial outcomes, and raises execution quality across the Sourcing Center of Excellence (SCoE) through coaching, playbooks, and standards. The role operates in a center‑led model that balances global strategy with regional nuance, delivering measurable value, an improved stakeholder experience, and proactive risk management.

Mission Alignment (GSP “Definition of Winning”)
Value Capture: deliver holistic value (cost reduction/avoidance, speed, quality, and operational effectiveness).
Client Journey: deliver a seamless stakeholder experience with clear ownership, predictable cycle times, and reduced friction.
Risk Management: proactively identify, assess, and mitigate third‑party and supply risks within sourcing and contracting activities.
Optimize Capability: strengthen procurement capability through standards, coaching, and adoption of digital/AI-enabled ways of working.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• 7+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, category execution, or commercial contract negotiations.
• Proven track record leading complex sourcing events (RFx/auctions), negotiating high‑value agreements, and delivering measurable outcomes.
• Strong commercial acumen including TCO/should‑cost analysis, benchmarking, and the ability to translate insights into negotiation strategy.
• Ability to operate effectively in a global, matrixed environment with multiple stakeholders and time zones.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in semiconductor or high‑tech indirect procurement environments (facilities, IT, technical services, labor/services, or adjacent categories).
• Experience working in/with center‑led procurement operating models and shared service/CoE delivery engines.
• Professional certifications (e.g., CPSM, CIPS, CPM) and/or MBA/MS in a relevant discipline.
• Demonstrated change leadership and process improvement experience (Lean/Six Sigma, design thinking, or similar).

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute Tier 2 sourcing engagements (complex/cross‑regional/repeatable) with accountability for delivery quality, leverage, and cycle time.
• Support Tier 1 sourcing engagements by providing sourcing leadership, RFx architecture, analytics, and negotiation support within category guardrails.
• Translate category strategy into executable sourcing wave plans and event strategies (RFIs/RFPs/RFQs, auctions, market tests, negotiation approach).
• Drive disciplined project governance from intake through award and handoff; ensure consistent documentation and audit trail.
• Develop fact‑based negotiation strategies (TCO, should‑cost, benchmarking) and lead supplier negotiations to deliver approved value outcomes.
• Partner with Category Management on positioning, trade‑offs, and escalation decisions when supplier, value, or risk profiles change.
• Coordinate contract strategy with Contracting CoE/Legal; ensure use of templates, playbooks, and approved fallback positions for standard terms.
• Support Value Capture governance (e.g., baseline/benchmark alignment and savings outcome validation) in partnership with Finance.
• Manage assigned sourcing pipelines aligned to category wave plans; prioritize work by complexity, risk, business criticality, and enterprise value.
• Anticipate capacity constraints and proactively coordinate resourcing with SCoE leadership to protect cycle time and stakeholder commitments.
• Track progress, identify blockers, and drive rapid escalation/resolution; ensure transparency through dashboards, cadence reviews, and status updates.
• Coach and mentor SCoE practitioners on category‑specific execution standards, negotiation tactics, and stakeholder communications.
• Own continuous refinement of sourcing playbooks, templates, scorecards, and QA standards; ensure global consistency with room for regional nuance.
• Build repeatable sourcing capabilities (training, lessons learned, knowledge base contributions) and strengthen the internal talent pipeline.
• Serve as the primary sourcing execution interface for Category Leaders and key stakeholders during active sourcing initiatives.
• Drive alignment across cross‑functional partners (Legal, Finance, Risk/TPRM, Operations) to accelerate decisions and reduce handoffs.
• Support stakeholder engagement practices (BRM/SRM execution in partnership with the central program offices) with consistent messaging and value storytelling.
• Embed policy adherence, sourcing governance, and risk controls into sourcing work (supplier due diligence, TPRM triggers, compliance checkpoints).
• Ensure sourcing work is executed using approved buying channels and standard processes; minimize exceptions and document rationale when needed.
• Escalate risks early (supply continuity, regulatory/compliance, cyber/operations, financial health) and coordinate mitigation plans with risk owners.
• Leverage eSourcing, contract lifecycle management, and analytics tools to drive faster cycle times and better decision quality.
• Adopt AI-enabled approaches for research, drafting, analysis, and workflow acceleration while maintaining governance and controls.
• Identify automation opportunities for low‑value work and partner with Process/Technology teams to scale improvements.

Benefits

• Supportive work culture that encourages learning, development, and career growth.
• Programs and support that encourage personal and professional growth.
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Potential eligibility for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus and a stock award program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees