Strategic Sourcing Manager

Apple • Cupertino, CA

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

Apple is seeking a Strategic Sourcing Manager to join their team. This role involves developing a deep understanding of the business landscape, forecasting industry trends, and identifying changes in buyer and supplier power to leverage industry dynamics for Apple's advantage. The position requires performing supplier financial research, spend analysis, and ad-hoc financial analysis for strategic procurement deals. The manager will work with suppliers to negotiate optimal terms, balancing cost, volume, and quality to meet Apple's performance criteria and ensure long-term business continuity. Collaboration across the Apple organization is essential to meet business objectives. The role also involves synthesizing findings for senior leaders, identifying potential issues affecting business and product strategy, and optimizing supply chain performance through cost and volume scenario analysis and benchmarking. A key aspect is developing an in-depth understanding of value-added manufacturing processes, costs, and market intelligence to influence Apple's future product roadmap and sourcing decisions. The role provides overall program management support and contributes to the development of processes, templates, escalation procedures, and reporting.

Requirements

• Master's degree or foreign equivalent in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management, Business Administration, or related field.
• 3 years of experience in the job offered or related occupation.
• 3 years of experience with implementing process improvements for Source-to-Requisition (S2R) and Source-to-Purchase (S2P) workflows.
• 3 years of experience integrating systems including SAP Ariba to improve approval workflows, issue purchase orders, amend invoicing and payment terms, and integrate with accounting and ERP systems.
• 3 years of experience directing the RFx process from defining requirements, creating pricing templates, issuing RFPs, and evaluating bids to ensure vendor selection aligns with organizational cost control and quality goals.
• 3 years of experience developing and implementing procurement strategies for specific categories, including defining supplier tiers, establishing rate card structures, and utilizing negotiation techniques (BATNA, ZOPA) to secure favorable pricing.
• 3 years of experience leading actual and commercial negotiations and knowledge of new product security and information security requirements to protect IP.
• 3 years of experience leveraging Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tool to streamline contract management process from creation to negotiation, execution, and storage.
• 3 years of experience establishing clear vendor performance metrics (cost, quality, delivery), track supplier performance against these KPIs and SLAs, and take corrective actions when necessary to ensure alignment with business objectives.
• 3 years of experience evaluating the financial stability of suppliers through analysis of financial statements, commercial credit reports, and performance metrics to mitigate risk and ensure long-term partnership sustainability.
• 3 years of experience leveraging tools including JIRA and Confluence to map deliverable timelines and manage stakeholders among other project management tasks.
• 3 years of experience analyzing contracted labor (e.g., W2, 1099, etc.), employment law, and contingent workforce regulations to establish risk mitigation strategies for non-compliance.
• 3 years of experience utilizing data analytics tools including Tableau and Excel to generate procurement insights, automate reporting, and optimize sourcing decisions based on data-driven analysis.
• 3 years of experience utilizing e-sourcing and auction platforms to manage electronic sourcing events, including reverse auctions, which are commonly used for procurement of indirect services.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute procurement strategies for $300M-500M+ categories, supporting product development, testing, and compliance, with 5%-7%+ annual savings through negotiations and sourcing optimization.
• Build strategic supplier partnerships influencing 80% of spend, driving cost, quality, and delivery metrics, and securing favorable contract terms on liability, pricing, and compliance.
• Implement efficient procurement processes, including source-to-requisition workflows, while aligning with engineering, operations, and finance teams on cost-saving initiatives and project goals.
• Oversee contract lifecycle management to secure robust agreements and mitigate risks in terms of liability, intellectual property, and vendor obligations.
• Drive adherence to compliance standards, certifications, and regulatory requirements to support product safety and testing excellence.
• Develop a nuanced understanding of the business landscape to forecast industry trends and gauge emerging competitive forces.
• Identify changes in buyer and supplier power and use industry dynamics to Apple's advantage.
• Perform supplier financial research, spend analysis, and ad-hoc financial analysis for strategic procurement deals.
• Work with suppliers to negotiate optimal terms for sourcing, understanding the trade-offs between cost, volume, and quality to strike agreements that meet Apple's performance criteria and secure long-term business continuity.
• Collaborate across the Apple organization to ensure business objectives are met.
• Rapidly synthesize and communicate findings to senior leaders and actively identify potential issues that can affect business and product strategy.
• Optimize supply chain performance through cost and volume scenario analysis and benchmarking.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of value-added manufacturing processes and costs and market intelligence and apply this knowledge to influence Apple's future product roadmap and sourcing decisions.
• Provide overall program management support and contribute to ongoing development of processes, templates, escalation procedures, and reporting.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage
• Retirement benefits
• A range of discounted products and free services
• Reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition, for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple
• Opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs
• Discretionary restricted stock unit awards
• Opportunity to purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Discretionary bonuses or commission payments
• Relocation assistance

What This Job Offers

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