Commodity Manager

Build a career powered by innovations that matter! At Novanta, our innovations power technology products that are transforming healthcare and advanced manufacturing—improving productivity, enhancing people’s lives and redefining what’s possible. We create for our global customers engineered components and sub-systems that deliver extreme precision and performance for a range of mission‑critical applications—from minimally invasive surgery to robotics to 3D metal printing.

Novanta is one global team with over 26 offices located in The Americas, Europe and Asia‑Pacific. Looking for a great place to work? You have found it with a culture that embraces teamwork, collaboration and empowerment. Come explore Novanta. Novanta is a leading global supplier of core technology solutions that give medical and advanced industrial original‑equipment manufacturers a competitive advantage.

We are seeking a driven Commodity Manager to own the strategy and performance of an assigned portfolio of commodities across our multi‑site manufacturing footprint. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Procurement, the Commodity Manager is accountable for developing category strategies, negotiating and managing supplier agreements, and delivering measurable cost savings and supply assurance within their commodity book. This role blends analytical rigor – leveraging spend and transaction data to identify opportunity – with the commercial and relationship skills needed to execute with suppliers and partner across Engineering, Operations, and Quality.

It is an ideal opportunity for a commercially minded sourcing professional who wants clear ownership of a category and direct impact on cost and supply.

• Commodity & Category Strategy Develop, document, and execute category strategies for an assigned portfolio of commodities, aligned to the broader procurement and business‑unit objectives set by the Senior Manager, Procurement. Analyze spend, demand, market conditions, and the supply base to identify consolidation, standardization, and cost‑reduction opportunities across sites. Maintain a rolling pipeline of sourcing initiatives and savings projects for the assigned commodities, with clear owners, timelines, and expected value.
• Cost Management & Savings Own the annual savings and purchase‑price‑index (PPI) targets for the assigned commodities and deliver year‑over‑year cost reduction. Lead negotiations on price, payment terms, lead time, and total cost of ownership; prepare should‑cost models and run competitive bid (RFx) events. Track, validate, and report realized savings in partnership with Finance to ensure benefits reach the P&L, and drive value‑engineering and cost‑avoidance opportunities with Engineering and Operations.
• Supplier Management & Negotiation Manage day‑to‑day supplier relationships within the commodity portfolio, including performance reviews, scorecards, and continuous‑improvement plans. Negotiate and administer supply agreements, pricing agreements, and terms; ensure contract compliance and resolve commercial issues. Qualify, onboard, and rationalize suppliers to strengthen the supply base and reduce risk and complexity.
• Sourcing & New Product Introduction (NPI) Support new product introduction by sourcing and qualifying suppliers for new and prototype components within the assigned commodities. Partner with Engineering early in development to influence design‑for‑cost and design‑for‑supply‑chain decisions and to avoid sole‑source or long‑lead exposure. Ensure timely material availability for prototype and pilot builds without disrupting production supply.
• Risk, Trade & Supply Continuity Proactively identify and mitigate supply risk within the commodity portfolio – including…