Strategic Sourcing Manager

We are seeking a Strategic Sourcing Manager, with specific experience with Outsourced/Contact Centre Services. You will build positive relationships with internal business partners to run activities that facilitate vendor selection processes, effective negotiations of agreements, and ongoing contract and vendor management support to deliver continuous cost savings, performance, and process improvement to the business

An Aerospace Sourcing Manager focused on New Product Development (NPD) with SAP experience drives the procurement process for new aerospace components and technologies. This involves integrating sourcing decisions early into the product design cycle to optimize cost, quality, and supply chain readiness.

About the Role

We are seeking a Strategic Sourcing Manager, with specific experience with Outsourced/Contact Centre Services. You will build positive relationships with internal business partners to run activities that facilitate vendor selection processes, effective negotiations of agreements, and ongoing contract and vendor management support to deliver continuous cost savings, performance, and process improvement to the business

Responsibilities

• Early engagement: Collaborate with Research and Development (R&D) and Engineering teams during the new product development (NPD) lifecycle to influence design decisions for optimal sourcing.
• Supplier scouting: Identify and qualify potential suppliers and manufacturers for new or highly specialized aerospace-grade materials, components, and subassemblies.
• Source-to-contract: Execute the full source-to-contract process for direct materials, leveraging SAP Ariba for managing RFx events based on Bill of Materials (BOMs).
• Costing and analytics: Utilize SAP functionalities to conduct should-cost analysis, benchmarking, and real-time product costing for new materials and complex BOMs.
• Process improvement: Standardize and automate procurement processes for NPD, such as RFQ processing and contract generation, using SAP.
• Supplier qualification: Ensure new suppliers comply with stringent aerospace quality standards (e.g., AS9100) by managing supplier lifecycle and performance in SAP.
• Supply chain risk: Assess and mitigate risks associated with new suppliers and materials, including potential for long lead times or supply chain disruptions.
• Quality control: Work with Quality Assurance and Engineering teams to establish quality control processes for new products, tracking metrics through SAP systems.

Qualifications

• Education: Diploma / BE Engineering or bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• Experience: 15 to 18 years of professional experience with focus on Machining and plating commodities.

Required Skills

• Experience: Proven experience in a sourcing or procurement role within the aerospace industry, with specific expertise in managing New Product Development lifecycles.
• SAP expertise: Mandatory experience with SAP modules, including SAP Ariba Strategic Sourcing Suite and SAP S/4HANA for managing direct materials.
• Technical knowledge: Strong understanding of aerospace manufacturing, engineering specifications, and component requirements, including materials like titanium, composites, or avionics systems.
• Strategic thinking: Ability to develop and execute sourcing strategies that meet both cost targets and tight NPD timelines.
• Collaboration: Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams, from design engineers to top management.
• Complete a portfolio of projects that are large and critical initiatives, as well as some transactional support.
• Assist with risk analysis to identify issues (financial, operational and/or regulatory) and develop risk mitigation strategy. Communicate risks and alternative mitigation strategies to business owners and partners.
• Run administrative processes and activity reporting as needed to support projects.

Preferred Skills

• Ability to work in self-directed environment with minimal supervision.
• You have Outsourced customer service operations, vendor management, and/or contract negotiations.
• Contact Centre pricing model knowledge.
• Must handle high pressure and work with quick timelines with high levels of ambiguity.
• Strong intuition for business, analytical and interpersonal skills with a high degree of attention to detail.
• Strong process orientation with project management skills and shown program implementation experience.
• Excellent interpersonal, and written and verbal communication skills.
• Standout colleague who can work independently while prioritizing his/her own work and resources.
• Capable of working with abstract concepts and optimally presenting conceptual topics to others.
• Ability to work with a sophisticated matrix of partners and businesses.
• Ability to handle time to complete work optimally and efficiently.
• Demonstrated experience in global corporate indirect procurement and/or outsourced contact center.