Strategic Supplier Leader

Schneider Electric•Nashville, TN

10d

About The Position

The Strategic Supplier Leader owns the commercial relationship and multi-million-dollar spend portfolio for key contract manufacturers supporting North America. This role is part of a strategically important and growing area of Schneider Electric’s supply chain, with responsibility for shaping supplier partnerships, commercial strategies, and capabilities that support future business growth. Working in a highly matrixed organization, the role partners with Line of Business leaders, manufacturing clusters, Procurement, and cross-functional teams to improve supplier competitiveness, productivity, capacity, risk management, and long-term value creation. The role develops multi-year supplier roadmaps, leads executive supplier governance and sourcing activity, negotiates commercial terms and agreements, and drives supplier productivity and performance. It also leads commercial aspects of product introductions, supplier transfers, outsourcing initiatives, and business transitions. Success is measured by productivity and cost savings, supplier performance, sourcing and contract execution, supplier readiness, risk mitigation, commercial recovery, and roadmap execution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field.
At least 10 years of experience in strategic procurement, sourcing, supplier management, contract manufacturing, or commercial leadership.
Proven experience leading complex, high-value RFQs, supplier selections, commercial negotiations, and sourcing decisions in a contract manufacturing environment.
Experience negotiating and managing complex supplier commercial agreements, including MSAs, SOWs, and BAs.
Experience developing should-cost, landed-cost, and total cost of ownership models, including tariffs, duties, logistics, and other key cost drivers.
Working knowledge of USMCA requirements, Mexico’s IMMEX program, and tariff mitigation strategies.
Strong financial and business acumen, including the ability to evaluate commercial trade-offs, investments, and business cases.
Strong leadership, negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to influence across a highly matrixed, cross-functional, and cross-cultural organization.
Fluent written and spoken English.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or MBA.
Spanish or Mandarin Chinese language proficiency.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute multi-year supplier roadmaps aligned with business priorities, including growth, competitiveness, capacity, technology, productivity, and risk.
Build strategic relationships with supplier leadership and ensure supplier capacity, investment, and technology plans support current and future business needs.
Lead executive supplier governance and Supplier Business Reviews.
Lead commercial aspects of new product introductions, supplier transfers, outsourcing initiatives, and business transitions.
Lead strategic RFQs, supplier selections, commercial negotiations, sourcing decisions, and business awards.
Develop fact-based negotiation strategies using should-cost analysis, cost transparency, market intelligence, benchmarks, volume leverage, and competitive alternatives.
Negotiate pricing, productivity, payment terms, capacity commitments, and other commercial conditions.
Negotiate and manage Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), Business Agreements (BAs), and other supplier commercial agreements.
Partner with Legal and stakeholders to establish commercial protections, performance requirements, and supplier commitments.
Ensure contractual commitments are implemented and aligned with evolving business requirements.
Own the supplier productivity roadmap, including Quality Value Engineering (QVE), Change of Supplier (CoS), commercial negotiations, and other cost-reduction initiatives.
Build and execute a sustainable productivity pipeline through cost transparency, supplier collaboration, competitive sourcing, and commercial optimization.
Drive supplier performance across Quality, Service, Cost, Cash, Productivity, and Sustainability.
Lead commercial escalations and supplier recovery when commitments are not met.
Identify and mitigate commercial, capacity, financial, geopolitical, tariff, and supply continuity risks.
Travel approximately 25–30% within North America.

Benefits

Relocation assistance is available for qualified candidates.
Medical insurance, including member reward points.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Basic life insurance.
Benefit Bucks credits to apply toward benefits.
Flexible work arrangements.
Paid family leaves.
Well-being programs.
12 holidays per year.
20 days of paid time off per year, pro-rated in the first year based on start date.
Short-term incentives or sales incentives.
Opportunities to own company shares, subject to eligibility based on start date.
401(k) with match.
Performance and development conversations.
Senior Talent Program.
Global career opportunities.
Access to the Schneider Career Hub for positions, projects, and mentors.
Learning platforms, including Coursera.
Recognition program, including service anniversaries.
Volunteer leave.
Military leave benefits.
Development programs and mentorship.